Junior Year Goals

As I am nearing my conclusion of high school, improving my academic future is a very prominent goal for me. While grades have been important since I began school, they are especially important in my junior year. I have selected some tough courses for this year, and I know that I need to study hard to make sure that my grades will look good for my college transcript. There are some classes that I know are very difficult for me, which means that I need to study harder and longer to make sure I will grasp the concepts fully to do well in all assignments. Along with grades, the PSAT and SAT are also a part of my goals for my academic future. Last year, I took the PSATs and did well on them; however this summer I have spent a lot of time studying for them. The PSATs will be a very good gage of how I will do on my SATs, which I am planning on taking this winter or spring. The SATs are a very rigorous test, and I know that I will need to spend more time studying for them, because the score I receive will affect the college I will be attending upon graduation. Once my SATs are completed and my scores are published, I will have a better knowledge of what college I will be able to attend. There are many colleges that I am looking at, such as Penn State University, Pittsburg University, and Westchester University, and this year I would like to refine my search. To do this, I will have to go on college visits; visiting the dorm rooms, possibly classes, as well as touring the campus itself. Once I have completed this, I will be able to accurately decide what schools I would like to apply to when I am a senior next year. Academic goals are not something easy to attain; they are difficult and rigorous, however they will be very important to my academic future in college and beyond.

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So what is the next step? Once I finish high school I am planning on going to college. Based upon all of the things listed above I will pick a college. This college will need to fit my academic needs in order to major in either pre-medical or chemistry. While I am in college, I plan to take many science classes, such as chemistry, biology, as well as anatomy. Once I finish college, I plan to go onto medical school. However, before I enter medical school I will need to take a placement test called the MCATS. This test is very important, and based upon the results which I receive from the tests I will enter medical school. I know that medical school will be very difficult and will require many hours of research and studying. In my opinion, all of my hard work will pay off in the end. After I graduate from medical school, I will need to complete a residency program. This program will require two to three years working under someone (similarly to an apprenticeship program). Once these two to three years are over, I will be a certified dermatologist!

While my goals are seemingly ambitious, I have no backup plan. While backup plans are needed sometimes, I know that I must study hard and attain good grades and to ultimately achieve my goal. There is no excuse for not attaining good grades. I may complain about my teachers, or about my workload but ultimately all of that will boil down to me. My teachers are only here to make me succeed, and the workload is here to make me learn how to manage my time. Also, my parents brought me up to have a good head on my shoulders, and I would like to honor them for all of the lessons which they have taught me. I know that many of my peers within the high school are tempted to experiment with drugs and alcohol. I am proud to say that i have never used these substances. I know that this year i will have to continue to be strong and resist these substances, although I have no will or desire to try them. Not having a backup plan may pose a problem in some situations, however I feel that in studying and in school work I feel that there should be no excuses for poor study habits and poor grades.