Video: Prepare for Senior Year of High School | CollegeXpress
Young Asian woman with big smile in line of students in grad caps and gowns

Video: How to Prepare for Your Senior Year of High School

In this video, student vlogger Zenavieve walks you through all the important things you need to know to be prepared for your senior year of high school.

Senior year of high school is a lot of different things: it’s college applications, prom, essays, classes, extracurricular activities, and so much more. It can be hard to prepare for so much at one time. Student vlogger Zenavieve has some advice on how to prepare to have a great senior year.

Start a senior bucket list (1:05)

Make a list of everything you want to do academically and socially this year and use it to set goals for yourself ahead of time so those aspects of your life don’t get lost in the rush of senior year. Whether you want to make the honor roll or be more social by going to parties, write your goals down. Visually seeing them every day will make you feel more motivated to accomplish them and more prepared.

Related: Stop! You Need to Make a Bucket List Before Senior Year Starts

Keep your grades up (1:49)

Just because you get accepted to college doesn’t mean you shouldn’t keep your grades up! Finding your motivation can be hard, but if you don’t, your GPA could take a hit. You don’t want your college decisions to get rescinded because you have a case of senioritis. Keep up the pace and do your best right up until the end.

Take pictures (2:26)

Your senior year is going to be so memorable—but it’s also going to go by fast! Make sure to take as many pictures and videos as possible to preserve those memories for a long time. Document different aspects of the application process and when you get admission decisions. Many students like to post those online and spread the excitement of everyone getting into college.

Start the hard work now (3:07)

Determine where you want to end up at the end of academically and start the hard work now. If you want to be at the top of the class, that starts on day one! So make sure you’re putting in the effort now and not trying to rush your best academics during the last two weeks of school. Success is a long-term commitment, not a race. So determine what you’re committing to now and stick with it.

Related: 10 Things You Need to Do Before You Leave High School

This is just a small fraction of the advice that could help you get through your last year of high school, but it’s going to be your own unique experience. You just have to be open to every opportunity that comes your way this year, and we promise senior year will be one of your best yet.

By senior year, you likely have a college list put together! But if you need to add a few more, you can use our College Search tool to explore.

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About CollegeXpress

CollegeXpress

Welcome to CollegeXpress, your one-stop college shop! We’re a free college planning website used by millions of college-bound students, parents, and counselors—anyone who needs help navigating the college search and application process, financial aid opportunities, and more. 

You’ll find comprehensive College Search and Scholarship Search tools, tons of articles and expert advice, unique college Lists & Rankings, and lots of other resources to help make your life easier. Teen Vogue even named us one of the 7 Best College Search Websites!

Current college students and recent grads also love CollegeXpress for our Graduate Program Search tool and endless information on student life, internships, and beyond. We really have something for everyone, no matter where you are in your college journey.

Create a free CollegeXpress account to start connecting with colleges, winning scholarships, and simplifying your life as a student!

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Union University

Jackson, TN


Yuhlani Patterson

Yuhlani Patterson

High School Student

CollegeXpress has helped me find so many scholarships that fit me. They match me to colleges I have specific interest in to make searching for colleges way easier and more efficient. CollegeXpress refers me to schools that have my major of interest and backup schools if I want to change my mind. CollegeXpress also gives out their own scholarships, so you have even more of a chance at gaining multiple scholarships. This website has helped me de-stress from the pressure of not being able to afford college, [of finding] what schools are right for me, and how to find easy access to scholarships that most people never knew existed.

Sarah Armstrong

Sarah Armstrong

High School Class of 2022

I am a deaf student, and I had always dreamed of going to Gallaudet University. CollegeXpress helped me search though other qualified universities. They helped me know for sure that Gallaudet University was the right choice for me!

Joan Franklin

Joan Franklin

Counselor

I love this website and have been using it for years with my students. I originally bought products through Wintergreen Orchard House and appreciated having key facts at my fingertips when advising students. Your site is easy to access and offers a wide array of topics I need as a busy college counselor.

Heather McCarty

Heather McCarty

High School Class of 2020

CollegeXpress has helped me with the college application process. The tips and tricks for important essays were so helpful. I also gained useful knowledge about college life. Even though I’m fully online, CollegeXpress has helped me develop a sense of how college is in person. The experiences from college students that were featured on their Instagram page have shown the good, the bad, and the “secret” life on campus from a reliable perspective. Not to mention, they relieved my feelings of anxiety about the workload. I can now understand how it can be stressful, but it takes self-control and willpower to get assignments completed on time and with quality.

Amelia

Amelia

High School Class of 2023

CollegeXpress helped open me up to many colleges that fit my interests. I’m only a sophomore in high school, so I like having a lot to look at, and CX does a great job of picking colleges that meet my wants. It's a great website that I'll continue to use until it comes time for me to apply for colleges. I also like that it notifies me through email with options to look at. Thanks CX!