The first response had some great points. I’m going to be a junior too this year and this is one of the checklists I’ve been sent:

College Planning for Juniors

FastWeb

Fall

– Take the most challenging academic schedule you can. It shows admissions officers that you’re ready for a competitive college environment.

– Research prospective colleges. Sign up for FastWeb’s College Search to find the right school for you.

-Attend college fairs and speak to on-campus college representatives.

– Register, prepare for and take the PSAT/NMSQT.

-Begin studying for the SAT or ACT.

– Register with FastWeb.com to find scholarship money.

-Take leadership roles in clubs, activities and volunteer organizations.

– Begin to consider which teachers, advisors or employers you might ask for college recommendations from.

– Explore financial aid options with your parents/guardians.

February-March

-Apply for scholarships.

– Visit prospective colleges during spring break.

-SAT is offered on March 10, 2007. Get all the 2006-2007 test dates.

-Continue discussing college costs and options with your parents/guardians.

-Put together your resume, including academic record, extracurricular activities, honors and volunteer work.

April-May

-Check academic requirements for your prospective schools. Summer is the best time to fill any gaps.

-ACT is offered on April 14, 2007.

-SAT is offered on May 5, 2007.

-Apply for summer jobs, internships and volunteer opportunities.

June-August

-Visit prospective colleges. Be sure to talk with current students about the school.

-Athletes should register with the NCAA Initial Eligibility Clearinghouse at the end of the academic year.

– Request applications and brochures from your top colleges.

-Get started on college application essays by writing sample drafts.

-Take some time out to prepare for your standardized tests.

Fastweb is a great site, they have a few more things like this for juniors, but i didn’t want to include them and make the answer extremely long. On this site you can not only see their college planning tips, but also research schools that fit your specific wants and needs. The site will also search for scholorships that you are eligable for. You’d need to make an account on the site, but it is all free. Best of luck

It’s good to start thinking about college now and the best way to start would be whether or not you’re staying in state or out of state. After that look at the local colleges and other ones that seem to interest you. See what colleges you’re looking are the best for your area of study, and if you’re still unsure with what you want to do don’t be afraid to go to a community college or a liberal arts college for the first year and transfer to a bigger university. When I started looking I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do, but I knew I didn’t want to go to a big school with a large campus or go to a school with a city integrated campus. I took a tour (informal) of the school that I’m at now (as a freshman) and I fell in love with the campus.

And don’t think you need to apply for school now, I didn’t start applying for college until my senior year in high school. Just look around, take some visits, take some formal campus tours, that will give you a lot of information.

As for your parents, let them give their input on the decision making process, but ultimately its up to you for deciding what school is right for you.

If you’re still not sure, talk to a school counselor, they can maybe let you know when colleges are visiting your school and you can talk to someone that way.

Hope this helps!

Try and get all As if you can.

Make sure you take all the prerequisit courses.

All your Math to Pre-Calculus or Caclus

Economics

Statistics

Civics

Either AP CHEMISTRY or PHYSICS or BOTH

If you are planning on private college make sure you have 2 years foreign langauge.

Get involved with the school such as debating team, student body government, the yearbook, the school newspaper

Do some fine arts work, Drama or Music

Try out this student organizer software from www.successtrackersoftware.com. It worked wonders for me…