It’s time to wake up and smell the coffee, Juniors! Believe it or not, in less than a year from now you will be in the same position as me and many other seniors: applying to colleges.

As most of you know, your junior year is critical—colleges heavily evaluate your junior year grades and activities throughout the application process. Now is the time to start considering your future. Focus, time management, and a strong work ethic can assist in staying on task and achieving success.

While entering senior year, the last thing you want to be is to be unprepared. Have you visited colleges yet? Signed up for the PSAT, SAT, or ACT? Considered a potential major or career? If your answers to these questions are no, I suggest you start. Preparation is vital; starting senior year without a solid plan will not go over smoothly, to say the least.

“From watching my sister go through the application process, I knew that I couldn’t wait until the start of senior year to begin my application and essay,” says current senior Dana Klarer. “I began visiting schools junior year and started my applications over the summer. I felt prepared when it came time to apply.”

At this point in your junior year, guidance counselors suggest that you take the PSAT, and begin preparing for the SAT, ACT, or both. The Westwood High School National Honor Society offers both ACT and SAT prep courses throughout the school year. It is also highly recommended that you begin visiting colleges within the first semester of junior year.

Take initiative by making a small change—get off of Facebook and Twitter for a while and explore collegeboard.com or naviance.com instead. Taking that little step can go a long way. Remember, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.