Junior Year Information

A Timeline for Your College Readiness:

  • Visit College Fairs; talk to any college representatives that visit your school.
  • If you want to play Division I or II sports, talk to your counselor about NCAA Eligibility Center requirements.
  • Take the PSAT and sign up for the ACT and/or SAT given in the spring.
  • Take the SAT Subject Tests if any of the colleges you are interested in require them.
  • Visit colleges in the spring when students are there.
  • Draft a resume near the end of the year so it will be available in the fall of your senior year.
  • Deepen extracurricular activities.
  • Schedule a "strong" senior course program. Try to include all five academic areas.
  • Register on your school's Naviance site if you have not done so yet.
  • Save some of your best course work (paper, lab or small portfolio) to offer to colleges if necessary.
  • During the summer: Build on your interests. Get a part-time job if you can. Consider creating a rough draft version of your college essay. AND the Common Application website will be up and renewed in August.  Complete the easy parts and save.

A Timeline for College Essays:

  • Consider keeping a journal or "idea bank" of thoughts or conversations that you can draw on later for inspiration.
  • Draft some possible answers to the Common Application prompts. Don't commit to any one question, but remember, "Begun is half done."
  • Over the summer, visit the Common Application site and begin to think about possible answers.
  • Talk to your parents and see what they think your strengths and talents are.

Junior Scholarships:

Each of these scholarships will be awarded to a VVS junior. In order to receive these scholarships students must meet the criteria for selection and gain admission to the sponsoring college. Applications are posted in the Guidance Office starting late February or March. Applications are typically due in the 3rd week of March.

Clarkson Leadership Award ($15,000 per year) and Clarkson Achievement Award ($12,000 per year)

  • Demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities
  • Have an academic interest in Engineering, Business, Science or Liberal Arts
  • Recognized by students and faculty as having been a  contributor to school and community
  • Top 15% of the class

Elmira College Key Award Awarded to 1 male and 1 female ($15,000 per year)

  • Top 10% of the class
  • Minimum grade point average of of 90
  • Outstanding school and community leadership

LeMoyne College Heights Award ($12,500 per year)

  • Top 10% of the class with an overall average of 90 or above.  
  • Demonstrate leadership, good citizenship, and involvement in extracurricular activities.  
  • Score of 50 or above on each subsection of the PSATs

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rensselaer Medal ($15,000 per year) 

  • Student should be in the top 10% of class
  • Excel in advanced math and science classes
  • Interested in a career in science, mathematics and technology

Rochester Institute of Technology Computing Medal and Scholarship Program- Awarded to 1 male and 1 female ($7,000 per year)

  • Top 10% of the class
  • Overall average of 90 or above 
  • Demonstrate an interest in computing
  • Demonstrate leadership, citizenship, and involvement in school and community

Innovation & Creativity Award Program- Awarded to 1 male and 1 female ($7,000 per year)

  • Top 10% of the class
  • Overall average of 90 or above 
  • Demonstrate leadership, good citizenship, and involvement in school and community  
  • Outstanding achievement in innovation, creativity, or entrepreneurship. 

St. Lawrence University Book Award - Awarded a book and $1,000 per year scholarship

Commitment to community service through involvement in school and community. Demonstrated initiative and dedication to having a positive impact on school or community.

St. Michael's College Book Academic Achievement with a Social Conscience- Awarded to 1 male and 1 female (Awarded a certificate and book and, if accepted to St. Michael's, will be considered for the Book Award Scholarship.)

  • Inductees of the National Honor Society
  • Demonstrate a sustained commitment to community service and exemplify social conscience

The Sage Colleges Student Sage Award ($7,500 per year)

  • Demonstrate leadership, good citizenship, strong communication skills, and involvement in extracurricular activities.
  • Demonstrate strong desire to lead and improve the community/school.
  • Be in the top 25% of the class.

University of Rochester Bausch & Lomb Honorary Science Award ($7,500 per year)

  • High achievement and rigor in science classes
  • High math scores on PSAT and/or SAT

University of Rochester Frederick Douglass and Susan B. Anthony Award ($7,500 per year)

  • A demonstrated commitment to understanding and addressing difficult social issues
  • Leadership and a dedication to community action
  • Strong grades and rigorous courses taken in humanities and social sciences

University of Rochester George Eastman Young Leaders Award ($7,500 per year)

  • Strong leadership experience at school and in the community
  • High grades and challenging courses
  • Extensive involvement in extracurricular activities

University of Rochester Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology ($7,500 per year)

  • A strong interest in innovation or information technology, and a high level of achievement in this area
  • Exposure to new technologies outside school, such as pursuing work opportunities in local laboratories or industry
  • Leading other students to new approaches to old problems; business plans for fundraising; community service; after school activities; and best uses of communication tools such as chat and blogs