Nav Advice! Senior Edition

By Zoe B.

*Always check with your parents before following any advice or suggestions in this article. The Navigator is not responsible for any consequences resulting from following our advice. 

Hey everyone! Welcome back to another edition of Nav Advice! This version will be special; I’m going to be answering questions underclassmen have about anything senior year related. I hope you enjoy!

Do you already have an idea of what career you are wanting to go for by the time you are a senior? 

This is a great question! It’s expected for teenagers, especially in the United States, to know what they want to do for the rest of their lives as soon as they are in junior or senior year. In my case, I started researching careers in the second half of my sophomore year, and by junior year I knew I wanted to be a mechanical engineer. However, just because that’s how it was for me, doesn't mean that’s how it will be or has to be for you! For anyone who is still struggling to figure out what they want to do after high school, this is my advice. Think about the things you enjoy, but are also good at. Unfortunately, the things we enjoy the most may not be, and usually aren’t, the things we are the best at. This is why I think it’s important to combine the two. In my case, this is how I thought it through: I love sports (watching and playing them). However, I was not good enough to be a professional athlete. Therefore, I combined this with something that I am good at, which is math and science. What was my chosen path then? Mechanical engineering! This way, I can combine what I’m good at (which is math and science) with sports to create prosthetics or machines that help athletes. 

The last thing I’ll say about this is that if senior year comes and you’re still not sure what you want to do, don’t rush into a four-year college. In my opinion, it’s better to take a gap year and get a job, internship, or do something else instead of spending a lot of money on a four-year college. I think you should only go to college if you know for sure that you need college for the career you want to pursue and have a good plan after graduation. 

How similar are the PSATS to SATS? 

To answer this question, I’m going to seek help from an expert in this topic, the editor-in-chief of the Navigator. He has studied for both tests extensively. Here is his response: 

The PSATs are Practice SATs, so they are pretty similar to the SAT.  While the individual scores and times for each test are different, if you do good at one, you should do pretty well on the other.  Look at College Board's website on each test if you would like more details on the differences.  Also, you can actually take PSAT or SAT practice tests through the BlueBook application that College Board uses, so make sure to take the practice test that best helps you prepare for whatever test you are planning to take! - Alex M. 

 

Should I actually try to make friends? 

One-word answer: yes. High school is the perfect time to make friends! I’ve made some amazing friends that I hope to remain close with for the rest of my life. You won’t regret making friends – just make sure they are a good influence on you (that’s a whole other topic, though). 

 

What keeps you motivated most to keep going through all the college applications and essays and normal schoolwork if you so have that situation?

Oh yes, senior year can be very chaotic with everything going on. In my case, this means balancing multiple AP classes, student council, and college applications while trying to stay sane throughout it all. I would say what keeps me motivated the most is knowing that it’ll all be over soon. College applications usually only take up the first semester, so after that, everything will calm down, and I can enjoy my final semester of high school. 

 

So I just wanted to ask about the exams and stuffs- I was wondering at exactly what time must we take the SAT? Cause I've done some research but I'm still wondering if it might be different since it's homeschooling instead of usual schools and all...I personally don't know much about SAT and the things that are required in order to enter American universities or colleges either so I might have mistaken a lot of things too. :,)

Good question! My main advice for anyone who wants to go to college is to start preparing for everything as early as possible. This applies to the SAT as well. I don’t know what grade you’re in, but my advice is to be done with the SAT before starting senior year. This means you should try to get the best score possible, or the one you want, in junior year. Senior year is already busy enough without needing to worry about taking the SAT. My advice would be to focus on preparing for it the summer before junior year and taking it once during your first semester of junior year and once or twice during your second semester. Now, this really depends on how many times you can and are willing to take it, but that is how I would approach it if I could do it again. You also mentioned how you don’t know much about the SAT and other things required to get into U.S. colleges, but don’t worry! I suggest you reach out to NSA’s academic advisor, Tasha Calvin, so she can guide you. Also, the internet is full of very useful resources!

Zoe B. lives in Argentina with her parents and one of her two brothers. This is her fourth and last year at NorthStar Academy, as she's currently a senior. This is her second year in the Navigator and in Student Council, where she currently holds the position of Vice President. In her free time, she enjoys going to the gym, reading, baking, and watching Formula 1.

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