If all has gone according to plan then you are halfway to the end of you college career.

You have probably noticed how quickly the time has passed. You have probably also noticed how much you have grown as a scholar and as a person over these two years. Your study habits and your time management skills should be more proficient than they had previously been. Your interactions with faculty, administration and students – both through formal organizations and courses as well as through informal encounters – should have helped you to form somewhat of a network, as discussed in the advice for freshman year.

You probably feel measurably more comfortable in your own skin and in your campus surroundings. Your realization of the goal of graduate school is approaching quickly.

Sophomore year represented somewhat of a shift in focus from freshman year.

Freshman year was about learning the rudiments that were necessary for you to prepare you for the personal and academic transition from high school to college. Thus, emphasis was placed on: (1) using a personal inventory to assess and address your strengths and weaknesses so that you would be successful inside and outside of the classroom: (2) strategizing when thinking about and acting on your coursework so that you can learn what discipline is right for you, learn excellent study habits, impress professors and ultimately earn a 4.0 G.P.A.; and (3) gaining some familiarity with university personnel and resources because they will be important along your journey as an undergraduate. These three points were further emphasized during sophomore year, with an increased emphasis on participation in extracurricular activities such as research assistantships, internships, and student organizations involvement.

The tasks for junior year are very similar to those of sophomore year. By now you have hopefully established an outstanding academic record, which is the first major step in getting into graduate school. You should have also built some meaningful relationships with at least one professor. Third, you have hopefully had some experience outside of the classroom (campus job, internship, organizational involvement) that can help you stand out. However, the advice provided for junior year success differs from sophomore year’s advice in two material respects. First, emphasis will be placed on finding an area of research in your major that you would like to investigate an ultimately write about. Second, focus will be placed on leadership and greater involvement in the university community.