Elizabeth Foss- Mustangs Ahead
(LAKEWOOD RANCH, FL)- As the final quarter of the 2025-2026 school year continues at Lakewood Ranch High School (LRHS), college-bound juniors need to start focusing on strong academics and college research.
This time of year may be the most stressful for juniors. They need to start maintaining good grades and doing things that most colleges look for on applications.
On top of schoolwork, students also have to focus on after-school activities, jobs, driving, and leadership.
Junior Aubree Doster shared, “I am definitely feeling more pressure this semester. I really need to focus on studying harder and raising my grades.”
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LRHS college and career advisor Vito Bavaro said the last thing students need to do is stress.
“A good idea for the kids to do is pick out three schools, a school they know they can get in, a school that might be a bit more difficult to get in, and a school that seems nearly impossible to get in,” he said.
Now is a great time for students to get more involved in the school with clubs and athletics. If they haven’t already, they should also start preparing for the SAT and/or ACT.
Junior Lexi Scott shared, "I think persistent studying is the only way to really improve your SAT score, which is hard to do with everything else going on for students."