The Foreign Service Journal, June 2005

J U N E 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 71 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT mer working, volunteering, partici- pating in a college summer program or attending specialized camps. These are good choices for you, too, but you may have more unique opportunities in a foreign country. Also, once you’re 16, don’t forget about the summer-hire program at most embassies. Experience working in an embassy will set your applica- tion apart. Junior Year This is the year that counts more than any other. If your grades have been poor or mediocre up to this point, it may be too late to get into the most selective schools, but a dra- matic improvement will show college admissions officers at the many other excellent colleges out there that you have grown in maturity and responsi- bility. If your grades are already good, this is the year to take a good look at your skills and interests so that you will be able to formulate goals based on self-knowledge. During the Fall Semester: • Register and take the PSAT. While these scores aren’t included in your admissions application, they do qualify you for National Merit Scholarships if they’re high enough. If you have taken any SAT prep courses over the summer, you will probably want to take the SATs as soon as possible while the material is still fresh in your head. By the way, if you are disciplined enough to study just an hour or two a week with SAT prep workbooks, you don’t need to pay for expensive prep courses. “If” is the operative word here. • If you will need financial aid, start checking out possible schol- arship sources, such as www.fast- web.com. Don’t forget, AAFSW (www.aafsw.org) an d AFSA (www. afsa.org) sp onsor scholarships for Foreign Service children. • Start your research using books, magazines and the Inter- net. This is the fun part: looking for colleges where you’ll flourish. If you’re being schooled at home, or are without reliable Internet access, Continued from page 69 Continued on page 72 If your grades have been poor or mediocre, a dramatic improvement will show that you have grown in responsibility.