It's a fact: Junior year matters!

Most students don’t actually apply to college until the fall or winter of their high school senior year. That’s when they fill out forms, request transcripts and round up letters of recommendations to send off (fingers crossed!) to their targeted schools.

Believe it or not, though, that’s the easy part. The more challenging aspect of the college process occurs long before the applications are due. In fact, junior year is the prime time to lay the groundwork for college admissions—and to make sure you have what is needed to get into the schools of your choice. How can you make the best of this crucial year? Start by following these six crucial steps:

1. Stock up on number two pencils. You’re going to need them for all those standardized tests you’ll be taking in the coming months. In early fall, you’ll likely sit for the PSAT, which serves two purposes: First, it qualifies students for the National Merit Scholarship competition, a prestigious award that’s based on standardized test scores as well as high school grades. Secondly, this “preliminary” (that’s the P) SAT gives you a chance to learn your strengths and weaknesses as a test-taker. Then you can determine how much test preparation you’ll need before taking the SAT test in the spring. Remember, the sooner you start practicing (with sample tests, a prep class or even a tutor), the better your chances of boosting your scores. There are great practice tests at the websites of Princeton Review (princetonreview.com), Kaplan (kaptest.com) and College Board (collegeboard.com) There are other tests this year as well: Many juniors also take Advanced Placement exams and the SAT IIs, subject tests that are required by the many competitive colleges. So keep those pencils sharpened!

2. Go above and beyond. Even if your high school doesn’t require you to take any science beyond chemistry or any more foreign language after two years, it’s smart to continue signing up for high-level classes in every subject area. Talk to your guidance counselor to make sure that your junior year schedule includes as many challenging courses as you can realistically manage.

3. Hit the books. Two words: Grades matter! No matter how well you do on standardized tests or how big a star you are on the athletic field, your grade point average (GPA) is likely to be the most important factor in college admissions. If you’ve done well in your first two years of high school, don’t slack off now. Colleges want to see that you can also handle the more difficult coursework you’ll encounter as a junior. If your GPA so far isn’t strong, aim to boost it as much as you can. Admissions officers are impressed by an “upward trend” in grades: Those straight A’s in junior year can compensate for any earlier B’s and C’s on your transcript.

4. Be a leader of the pack. If you’re like most students, you joined a lot of clubs as a freshman to see which ones you most enjoyed. But hopefully your dabbling days are over. This year, stay highly involved in two or three of your favorite extracurriculars. Aim for a leadership position such as debate club president, school newspaper editor or field hockey team captain. Seek out opportunities for prizes, awards and other distinctions. These are the things that will make your college application stand out.

5. Make time for face time. When you apply to college, you’ll need letters of recommendation. Don’t wait until senior year to think about whom you’d like to ask to write these for you. Become a familiar presence in the guidance office so your counselor knows your face as well as your name. Pinpoint teachers who seem to like you and get to know them better. This will make it easier for them when the time comes to write a persuasive recommendation.

6. Start checking out schools. Take a break from all this hard work every now and then to start exploring different types of colleges. Log onto the websites of various schools to check out course offerings and take a virtual tour of campus. On weekends and during vacations, visit some colleges so you can begin to compile a list of possibilities. Make sure to find out about entrance requirements so you’ll have all your ducks in a row when the time comes to actually apply in the beginning of your senior year.

Advice For Freshmen And Sophomores

At this point, you don’t need to spend too much time or energy focusing on college plans. After all, high school is an exciting time of life and you don’t want to waste it living only for the future. That said, these three tips will help put you in a strong position when the time comes:

Take college-prep classes. Most schools prefer that you’ve taken four years of English, history, math, science and a foreign language in high school.

Aim for the honor roll. Your final grade point average will include your marks from all four years. Keep ‘em high.

Get involved. Try to become fully engaged in high school life. Join clubs, play sports and seek out opportunities to volunteer. Work hard, but try to have fun, too.