Finally, junior year has come to an end. As I reflect on this school year, I think about the various lessons I learned from my teachers, my advisors, and each of my noteworthy classes. This year was treacherous, but valuable; I discovered something new about myself regularly. As I return my textbooks, clean my locker, and say “Sayonara!” to my crazy classmates, I remind myself how I have grown academically and socially.

In one short school year, I became more academically efficient than I ever thought I could be. My teachers were serious from the start, so I quickly became more organized, punctual, and detailed. In order to conquer my more challenging classes such as AP Chemistry and Pre-Calculus, I was forced to attend regular tutoring sessions—something I wasn’t quite used to. I learned that one should never be too proud to seek help from an instructor or peer; refusing help because you think you know it all may prevent you from obtaining new information or gaining clarity on past topics. My newfound love for details stemmed from my language/composition class, where I faced an especially tough woman with the sharpest eye and the highest standards. She taught me to take a closer look at my writing, because my first thoughts were not always my best ones. In short, I learned to set aside more time to perfect the task or assignment at hand.

Needless to say, having a respectable academic record is important, but possessing satisfactory character is also necessary to having a successful high school/college career. This year, I was introduced to a flock of new people, many of whom I’ve never even seen before. In addition to that, I was chosen to lead a few organizations and events, which significantly improved my leadership skills. I’ve always had a love for speaking, but I did not know how essential it was to know how to speak clearly and effectively under pressure. These skills will surely be useful in the future, whether it be at my high school graduation or first college presentation.

My junior year of high school was memorable for several reasons: I learned to set aside my pride for the greater good of my education and I attained enhanced communication expertise. Although summer is here, I do not plan on being lazy; my job and volunteer work will keep me busy. College planning will continue and my search for scholarships will be in full swing. This highly anticipated summer will be filled with productive activities and some much needed rest, as I prepare for my final year as a high school student.

The week leading up to the exam was just terrible, so on the day of the ACT, I did not feel as prepared as I had hoped to be. After it was over, I decided I would retake it (possibly after the summer). In each section, I was unable to finish the last column of the bubbles. When the teacher exclaimed, “You have 5 minutes remaining,” I randomly bubbled in the answers. I hated that I had to do that. I spent too much time on certain questions. Please don’t be like me! Pace yourself and check the clock often. There may have been numerous questions I would have felt assured in, but never had the chance to answer with real thought.

Each section had its fair share of easy and difficult questions. In my opinion, I found the English and Science segments to be easiest. In the English part, I enjoyed correcting the mistakes. For most of the Science section, it just required you to be able to read and understand the graphs and tables. The Math and Reading were most difficult. It was in these sections where I spent a great deal of time working on particular problems. I felt like I couldn’t move on without being confident with what I was bubbling in. I had to suffer the consequences in the end. Also, be sure to thoroughly review the math concepts, because I had forgotten certain rules that dealt with geometry. As for the first half of the Reading test, I read the entire passage which was a total waste of time because a majority of the questions were ones I could have skimmed and looked up. The Writing portion had an easy topic to write about, so the 30 minutes given was just the right amount of time needed to complete the essay.

I’m a bit disappointed in myself because I know I could have done a lot better. My pacing needs some real work and so does my preparation and attitude. I wasn’t too confident that morning. Negative thoughts occupied my mind. I should have had a different mindset where I only thought positively. I didn’t believe in myself so that is why I know I have to take another ACT. I have to fix all my faults.

Anyhow, the end of the school year is near. I’m sure we all can’t wait for summer and to be seniors! Just one more year! Good luck with your final exams, guys!

“The ACT” … just saying this phrase sounds intimidating and can strike fear into the hearts of the most confident of students. In reality, it can be intimidating IF you overanalyze it. Obviously, everyone wants to get the best score they can when taking this test because it is one of the key factors in determining if they can get into the college they want. Doing well on the ACT can also help you earn scholarships, so it has to be taken seriously. I personally have taken the ACT twice, and I definitely took it much more seriously the second time. I worked to prepare the first time, but I went into the first test with no personal experience of what to expect. While I did OK, I knew I could do better.

The second time, I went into the testing room prepared for anything, but I knew I should keep from stressing out and overanalyzing the test because by doing so, it would only work against me and could actually lower my score. I knew that I had to be positive about the test and confident that I could make a great score. I mean … I didn’t study for nothing, right? Both times when I entered the testing room, the first thing I thought of was how intimidating and formal it looked and how everyone else looked just as nervous as I did. Everyone was assigned a seat and it was incredibly organized. The testing room itself made the situation seem even more surreal. Now it was time to put all my knowledge and study efforts to the test. I was ready.

Like I said earlier, this was my second time taking the test, so once the test began I was not as nervous as the first time. I actually found myself a little excited. I was glad I had taken the ACT study class my school offered and I was now more confident about the format of the test and what the questions would look like. However, even if I had studied more, it wouldn’t have kept my heart from beating so fast and my mind from racing the moment the proctor told everyone to open their test booklets. I took all the portions of the test and, like anything else that you spend time preparing for, it was not as bad as I expected it to be. The test might seem to be incredibly intimidating but it is never as bad as you make it out to be in your mind.

If you study and prepare for the test, you can make the score you want. Earlier this week, I received my results for this second ACT and I improved my score by a little over 20%, so all of the studying did pay off. I am pleased with my results.

Good luck to everyone who is taking the ACT in June. I am excited to write my next blog and speak to you all again.

As a junior with only one more year of high school left before I graduate, one of the most important things that I have to begin concentrating on is finding the college that’s right for me. However, with so many different options available, things can get pretty overwhelming. There are many factors that go into finding the right college, and managing them all is not an easy task.

However, there is a tool that is pretty useful for making life a little bit easier. ACT offers a college search application that is available in the app store for both iPhone and iPod touch devices. The app allows the user to browse through US colleges and filter results based on different search criteria, including location, type of college, available majors, size, admissions, and cost. In addition, the app allows users to mark certain colleges as favorites so they can be found later in a neatly organized location.

Once a college is found, the application also provides information on male/female ratios, ethnicity breakdowns, admissions contact info, maps of the area, and housing and food information.

For me, this tool was really useful for matching schools that I was thinking of going to with criteria to make sure they were the right fit for me. I was able to confirm that the schools I was thinking of going to would be a good choice, and I was able to find schools similar to them that I hadn’t considered yet.

“ACT College Search” is available for free on the iTunes App Store.

Like countless others my age, I become bored easily, and believe me, attending the same seven classes every day becomes boring. To alleviate some of this treacherous boredom, I chose to get involved with a few extracurricular activities—some that would enrich my life and the lives of others. I am a proud member of the National Honor Society, the National Beta Club, Game Changers—a newly founded mentoring program at Westlake—and Healthcare Occupations Students of America, better known as HOSA. These activities contain similarities, but they do not fail to improve me in different ways.

I greatly enjoy serving others so I joined the National Beta Club; some time later, I was invited to join the National Honor Society, an organization that recognizes high school students who demonstrate academic excellence. Upon induction into NHS, I was elected junior president, a job that requires me to handle the affairs of all juniors involved with the organization. I participate in service projects inside and outside of school, such as food and clothing drives and Westlake Beautification Day, a day when students beautify the school by cleaning the building, planting flowers, etc. Serving my community through these organizations is always a treat because it allows me to enhance my environment.

This year, the seniors at my high school sought to improve Westlake’s atmosphere and strengthen the bond between the freshmen students and upperclassmen. With the help of our principal, Dr. Grant Rivera, Game Changers was born. Through this program, studious juniors and seniors are paired with at-risk freshmen, and they are open to tutor, mentor, or just spend time with them. Luckily, my mentee and I have formed a close relationship in a short time; we discuss our goals and how we’re doing in school. This extracurricular is one of my favorites because it gives me the incredible opportunity to change another person’s life; I have the power to inspire someone to pursue their dreams. Being involved in extracurricular activities has shown me the importance of giving back and how beneficial it is to be a well-rounded individual.

At this point in time, you should be considering the colleges you might want to attend. Do tons of research regarding location, tuition, ACT/SAT score requirements, and financial aid. Also, be sure to check out universities’ websites, read student reviews, and watch online campus tours. Those will give you a much better idea if you are truly interested in a college. You should be well informed about everything so you can make the best decisions and cross out the ones that no longer seem to fit.

I advise you to choose a good number of schools you feel confident you’d be accepted into. That is because submitting college applications can be quite costly. A college application fee can cost up to $75. If you decide to apply to 7 schools, that already adds up to a half thousand dollars. Be aware and prepared for any payments you are going to have to make.

My Situation: I’m looking at universities in Washington, California, Illinois, and here in Hawaii. I’d really like to go to the mainland, but my parents have made it clear that I am to stay on this island. You see, I am an only child. I am everything to them. My mom claims that if I were to leave, she would want to die because it would be too painful. My dad is afraid of the possibility that something tragic might happen while I am away. He doesn’t want to have to worry every second of the day. My crazy, overprotective, but caring parents are holding me back and I’m sure some of you folks are in the same boat. Another reason why staying in Hawaii would be a good choice for me is that it is a lot cheaper, and I’m hoping to get a good scholarship. Also, taking a plane back and forth to the mainland and having to pay the living expenses is all too much. It’s simply unaffordable.

Be sure to consider anything and everything when thinking of that list of universities! Good luck researching & contemplating!

Hello everyone! I enjoyed writing my last blog with some tips for you to consider when taking the ACT, but now it’s time to focus on a different subject—choosing the right college. Choosing the right college may be the first or second toughest decision you will have to make during this process, equivalent to the decision of selecting your major. Both decisions have so many variables and options that it can be overwhelming at times. My choices and “wish list” are going to be completely different from anyone else’s because we are all unique.

Having an idea of your possible career aspirations is the basis of choosing the right school. It would not make sense to choose a college that didn’t offer the coursework, degree, or major that your heart desires just because it had a popular name. If you are not sure what college would be a good fit, there are online sources like ACT’s College Search where you can get an idea of what schools would fit you best. This resource can help you determine what you specifically want from a college. However, there are some generic questions that everyone should answer when considering their choice of colleges: Is the college in my home state or would I be an “out of state” student. Does it offer the degree or the major that I wish to pursue? Does the school have all of the other features and benefits that I have on my “wish list”? Considering these few questions will put you on track for choosing the right college.

There are so many colleges around the country and even more internationally for you to choose from. If you are interested in an international college, there are colleges here in America that have established partnerships with colleges in different countries. Once you have narrowed your options, you might want to consider scheduling a campus visit (If you can). Campus visits are the best way to determine if you like the college life, and some colleges will let you sit in on a class so you can get the complete college experience. Your final decision will be based on what you enjoy the most and what you believe is the best fit for you. I hope these tips prove to be helpful in choosing the best college for you. Don’t forget to have fun during this process!!

Spring break is here, and that brings two immediate things to mind for me. First off, I get to take a breather and relax for a while, which is great. I’ve been very busy as of late, and having some time to unwind is definitely appreciated. It hasn’t really sunk in yet that I get an entire week off of school, but I’m still really excited. I don’t have many plans yet, but I’ll probably just get some tennis in and hang out with friends. I don’t think I’ll be doing much traveling over break, which is sort of nice because I get to sleep in more and just lounge about the house. The second thing that spring break means to me is the transition into the fourth quarter of the school year. Things are about to get pretty serious. Between keeping up with daily classwork, preparing for AP tests, college entrance exams, and semester finals, as well as balancing extracurricular activities, I’m going to be pretty busy for some time.

As much as I hate to spend some of my time off doing schoolwork, I’m going to have to get started going through review books for my classes. I have study guides for my three AP classes that I’m going to crack open over the break, and I plan on going through older sections of my other textbooks to make sure that I remind myself of content I might have forgotten over time. With the end of the school year rapidly approaching, I want to make sure that I’m ready and prepared for the slew of tests, rather than being blindsided by stuff that I’m not expecting. In the end, one of the most important things to keep in mind for testing is preparedness. Cramming isn’t going to help, and working hard to keep up with everything is incredibly important.

We’ve all heard the saying, “You win some, you lose some.” It’s the inescapable truth that reminds us that everyone will undoubtedly have disappointments thrown their way at some point in their lifetime. It is important to understand that although these happenings may be discouraging, there is a lot to learn from them.

This year, I had the distinct honor of being nominated to participate in the Georgia Governor’s Honors Program, a summer instructional program for intellectually advanced or artistically inclined high school students. I was nominated in the area of communicative arts, better known as English. I made it through the first two rounds with ease—or so I thought. I was under the impression that I had dominated my semi-finalist interview, but I was proven wrong once the finalists were announced and I was not one of them. Oh the pain! Oh the agony! I was totally baffled. I moped for a day or two, until a former teacher of mine reminded me that everything is a learning experience and that I must accept this defeat and move on.

Her words were comforting as I realized there was nowhere to go but up. I knew I had to learn from this, internalize it, and convert my negativity into purely positive energy. Whenever you are defeated, you must use the defeat to improve yourself, no matter how upset you may be. High school is all about growth—most of which will prepare you for college and the road ahead. A low standardized test score or rejection from the school soccer team does not signal the end of the world, because there is always room for improvement. These setbacks trigger the innate need to do better, to obtain the prestigious “A,” or to finally pursue the internship at your doctor’s office. Students who seek true success recognize the potential in their losses or their mistakes.

The college process is similar to a sports season: a number of games lead to the championship, where the best of the best compete. During the season, you win some games and you lose some, but what truly counts is what you do after the losses. Do you complain incessantly and dwell on what went wrong or do you work harder to prepare for the championship game? Think about this the next time you did not achieve your original goal. But until next time, stay focused and study hard; college is closer than you think.

Time for filling out college applications is coming very near. Each one of us wants to show off who we are and make ourselves seem great for the universities we are applying to. However, in order to do so, not only should you excel academically, but also participate in extracurricular activities. Showing that you were involved in sports, numerous clubs/teams, and volunteering shows that you’re well-rounded. It makes a great addition to your application and makes you seem more valuable. Being involved in extracurricular activities shows that you are capable of juggling multiple things at once. If you maintain good grades, it indicates you are responsible and have good time management.

Joining a sport challenges both your body and mind. It also teaches you valuable lessons, such as sportsmanship, never giving up, and that practice and commitment will make you better. These qualities appeal to colleges. If you have been in or already are in a sport, that’s great! If not, there is a sport out there for everyone. There must be something you find interesting and fun. Try out and work to get better at it! Although, you don’t have to be in a sport to look like a great applicant. As long as you are highly involved in other things, you should be fine.

There are many clubs out there: drama, service, speech and debate, DECA, robotics, etc. The clubs you join show where your interests lie and that tells colleges a little more about yourself. Also, in a club you develop skills that your club is focused on and you meet many people. A new school year is coming up, so decide what you would like to be involved in.

Volunteering in the community is a great experience. However, don’t do it just to look good on applications. Do it with the intention of really wanting to help others. Volunteer at a place where you know you would be happy. If you like kids, go help at a daycare. If you enjoy the company of elder folks, visit a care home. Do something you strongly believe in or care about. You’ll make a positive difference, small or big, in someone else’s life and that is the best reward. Go search up some places you think you would be interested in and start whenever you’re free!