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College application deadlines have a tendency to come up fast. But the process of preparing for college typically begins much earlier than senior year.

Plenty of students prefer to get ready as early as their junior year of high school—in an effort to strengthen their eventual college applications (and make the process more manageable).

For those interested in college, some years of high school carry more weight — especially, the junior year. Colleges often look more closely at grades and achievements from students’ junior years when evaluating who to accept.

After all, that third year in high school is the last full academic calendar a college can view before students apply.

So, approaching junior year with a clear action plan may even give applicants a leg up on admission into their dream college. Compiling a junior year of high school checklist could help students to tackle this vital year with more drive, confidence, and focus.

Here’s an overview of why junior year of high school is so key and some strategies for staying focused while preparing to apply for college.

Why Junior Year Is Important

Junior year of high school can be especially impactful for strengthening a student’s college application. It’s the last school year that universities can look at in full before applications are due during senior year.

As a result, many admissions committees pay particularly close attention to grades and extracurricular activities from the junior year of high school.

The third year of high school can feel overwhelmingly for a few reasons:

•   Class difficulty levels are often higher than earlier years.
•   Students can begin studying now for the SAT and ACT. (It’s possible to take these exams in the spring of junior year, affording juniors a chance to retake them during the fall of senior year.)
•   Upper-class students can take on numerous extracurriculars and a part-time job.

To help make junior year a lighter lift, it can be a good idea to enter into it with a checklist in hand. This can help students see more success when college acceptance letters are sent out the next year. What follows are some helpful things students may want to keep in mind to make more out of this critical year.


💡 Quick Tip: You’ll make no payments on some private student loans for six months after graduation.

Getting Involved in Extracurriculars

To strengthen their college applications, many juniors opt to get more involved with organizations or activities they care deeply about. Being involved in extracurriculars doesn’t have to feel like a chore.

Extracurriculars that might stand out on a college application range from clubs to student council, from athletic endeavors to volunteering. There’s no one-size-fits-all way for students to be engaged in school or in their communities.

Many high schools host a variety of clubs that students can join. Juniors could choose one or two they’re really passionate about, allowing these extracurricular activities to serve as a break from hitting the books (all while still fleshing out their college application profile).

Staying Focused

Another potential way to increase focus is to keep a planner. It seems simple, but in today’s technology-driven age, it’s easy to forget how valuable writing big dates or goals down can be.

With seven dates available to take the SAT, and seven or more different dates available to take the ACT, it’s not hard for busy students to lose track of when to study for and schedule their college admission tests.

Once a test date has been chosen, students can mark it down in their printed planner. It’s then possible for a high school junior to work backwards, planning out practice tests and pencilling in study sessions during the build-up to the testing date.

The simple act of writing things down can make them easier to remember, so some researchers suggest jotting down key dates first in a physical planner before then adding them to a digital device or calendar.

Recommended: ACT vs. SAT: Which Do Colleges Prefer?

Making a Junior Year Checklist

In addition to writing down important dates, some students may benefit from making a personalized junior year checklist. Some tasks that could be included on such a list are:

•   Studying for major tests, like the SAT or ACT
•   Joining extracurricular clubs or organizations
•   Researching different colleges and universities
•   Getting familiar with the format of college applications

Once a checklist is drafted, students might then make to-do lists under each sub-category. The planner could be used in tandem to help students stay on top of these goals and deadlines.

Designating a Study Space

Creating a dedicated space for studying can also improve a student’s focus during a jam-packed school year. Many high schoolers opt to designate a comfy space at home, where they may then concentrate on their studies. It’s even possible to give this study space a personal touch — decking it out with school supplies, keeping it clutter-free, and decorating it with inspirational photos or personal items (like a magnet from one’s dream college).

Creating a dedicated study space, some claim, could both make recalling information easier and studying more effective.

Remembering to Reward Accomplishments

Busy high school juniors might want to remember to reward major accomplishments during this high-stakes year. Once important dates and tasks are mapped out (and scheduled), students could make another list of potential fun rewards to enjoy, once an outlined goal is met. Aced those finals? Binge on some light TV. Finished the SAT practice exam? Download that new game everyone’s been playing.

It may also be helpful to recall that an overly hectic junior year can increase students’ feelings of stress, possibly making it harder to accomplish big goals. Burnout is likely easier to avoid when students carve time out for regular breaks.

Strengthening that College Application

There’s a multitude of ways for juniors to strengthen their eventual college applications. Choosing which tasks to focus on can be the hard part.

Some juniors add volunteering to their schedules this year. Certain volunteer opportunities have age restrictions, which can make them easier for upperclass students to apply for. Similar to the earlier at-school clubs, many juniors opt to volunteer with non-profit organizations or institutions they’re passionate about.

To possibly stand out more on the college application, it may also be helpful for juniors to find a volunteer opportunity in the field they’re hoping to pursue as a career some day.

For instance, a student interested in medicine might seek out opportunities in a local hospital (so they could learn firsthand about what working in that environment and evidence their commitment to a given field of study.)

Recommended: College Planning Guide for Parents

Getting a First Job

Junior year could also be a good time for students to get their first part-time job. Many states allow young people to begin working once they’re 16 years old. If a student can find a job that’s easy to get (and doesn’t distract from academics), work experience can be one more experience to highlight on a college application down the road. Holding a part-time job at a young age might demonstrate skills, such as time-management and personal responsibility.

Moreover, there may also be unique opportunities available to upperclass students at their individual schools. It’s common for special electives or programs to open up to older students — things like, working on the school yearbook, interning for credit, or volunteering on or off site.

Recommended: Am I Eligible for Work-Study?

Financing College

Earning admission is just one piece of the going-to-college puzzle. Once accepted, many high schoolers have to wrestle with how to pay for college. For parents, saving up for a child’s college years is something they may want to start while their student is much younger.

What are some options for financing college? Some ways to pay for college include need-based grants, merit or affinity scholarships, federal student loans, and private student loans.

Some grants, such as Federal Pell Grants, are disbursed by the U.S. government to those who qualify. Grants, unlike loans, do not typically have to be repaid by the student. Scholarships are frequently merit-based, meaning they’re often awarded based on a student’s academic, athletic, or community-based accomplishments.

Many high schools and colleges publish lists of financial aid resources available to eligible undergraduates. These lists are one starting place to begin searching for potential scholarships or grants.

So, it may be worthwhile to check with a guidance counselor or on a college’s official financial aid web page (to see what resources have already been compiled).


💡 Quick Tip: Parents and sponsors with strong credit and income may find much lower rates on no-fee private parent student loans than federal parent PLUS loans. Federal PLUS loans also come with an origination fee.

The Takeaway

Junior year can play a vital role in preparing students to vie for college admission. There’s a lot to keep track of this year — from juggling academics alongside extracurriculars to figuring out how, eventually, to pay for college (once accepted).

Loans are another common way to help pay for college. There are both federal and private student loans. Federal loans are offered by the U.S. government to those who qualify. It’s important to note that federal loans can come with certain baked-in benefits (such as forbearance or income-driven repayment options) not always guaranteed by private lenders.

If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. Repayment plans are flexible, so you can find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.

Cover up to 100% of school-certified costs including tuition, books, supplies, room and board, and transportation with a private student loan from SoFi.

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

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The process of looking for a job is complex, as is the hiring process that can follow. You may be psyched to be offered a position but then learn that a credit check is part of the vetting.

This step can be concerning for some prospective employees, as it makes them wonder why their financial history matters, how their credit will look, and whether it could be considered a strike against them.

Not all companies run credit checks, but if you are negotiating with one that does, here are answers to your questions about this procedure, including:

•   What is a credit check for employment?

•   Why do employers check credit?

•   What are employers looking for when they check credit?

•   What requirements and limitations govern credit checks?

What’s a Credit Check for Employment?

Pre-employment credit checks happen when a company uses a third-party company to check a candidate’s credit history and see their past approach to consumer debt.

Sometimes, what’s called a background check may include a credit check as well as a scan for criminal activity and is a tool that helps the potential employer make a decision about whether or not to hire the candidate.

Credit checks are more commonly used in industries that deal directly with money, like accounting, banking, and investing, but any employer could decide to run pre-employment credit checks.

How Does a Pre-Employment Credit Check Work?

Here’s how a pre-employment credit check works: Once the job offer is on the table, an employer will solicit a third-party provider to run a credit check for employment purposes that features the following information about the potential employee:

•   Full name and previous names

•   Current address and past addresses

•   Social Security number

•   Incurred debts such as credit card debt, car loans, mortgages, student loans, and personal loans, including the full payment history on each account and any late payments.

One thing pre-employment credit checks cannot include is the potential employee’s date of birth because it could allow their age to be used against them in a discriminatory manner.

What Do Employers See on Credit Checks?

You’re likely curious to know exactly what a prospective employer could see when they peek at your credit. Here’s the answer.

What They See

A potential employer will only see some aspects of your credit report. Typically, they will access:

•   Your name and address

•   Your payment history

•   What credit accounts you hold and your available credit

•   Information on your work history that you have reported

•   Any bankruptcies or liens.

What They Don’t See

Next, consider what they don’t see when accessing your data as part of a credit check:

•   Your credit score

•   Your income

•   The account numbers connected to your credit accounts

•   Medical bills

•   Details such as your age, marital status, race, or ethnicity. These are protected as part of discrimination protection (more on that in a moment).

And also worth noting: There is a seven-year restriction on certain kinds of background information for positions that pay less than $75,000 per year, including that relating to bankruptcy and liens.

Federal Limits on Pre-Employment Credit Checks

The Federal Trade Commission’s Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) is federal legislation that protects the personal information collected by consumer reporting agencies and ensures that any entity that uses the information notifies the consumer of adverse actions taken on the basis of the report.

Here are a few of the FCRA requirements for employers who run a background credit check for employment on potential or current employees:

•   Employers cannot legally obtain background information on an employee “based on a person’s race, national origin, color, sex, religion, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), or age (40 or older).”

•   Employers must inform employees in writing of their intention to perform a background check or credit check, indicating they might use the information to make decisions about their employment.

•   Employers must then get written approval from the applicant or employee to perform the background check and certify to the third-party provider that the employer:

◦   Notified the applicant and received their permission to obtain a background report.

◦   Fully complied with FCRA requirements.

◦   Will refrain from discriminating against the applicant or employee or misusing the information as a violation against Equal Opportunity laws or regulations.

•   Before taking any adverse employment actions against an applicant or employee, employers must provide them with a notice that includes a copy of the report itself and a copy of A Summary of Your Rights Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

•   After taking any adverse employment action, the employer must inform the applicant or employee:

◦   Of the name, address, and phone number of the company that conducted the background check, and the fact that it did not make the final decision.

◦   That they were rejected because of information in the report.

◦   That they reserve the right to dispute the report’s accuracy or completeness and receive a free report from the same reporting company within 60 days.

State and Local Limits on Pre-Employment Credit Checks

For the most part, many US states allow employers to obtain credit reports in the hiring process in a fair and equitable way. Certain states, however, restrict how the obtained information can be used. Those states include California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont, and Washington, as well as the District of Columbia. Delaware has a law that prohibits these checks by public employers until an applicant has been offered a job conditionally.

Several other states have legislation pending that could prohibit or place restrictions on credit inquiries for employment.

Certain localities also have prohibitions and restrictions on pre-employment credit checks, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Chicago.

What Are Employers Looking for in Your Credit Report?

So, if they’re digging deep into your credit history to determine whether or not to hire you, what exactly are employers looking for in a credit report? Here are a few things that could help them with their hiring decision:

History of Handling Money

Particularly in cases where a potential employee would be handling large amounts of money on behalf of a company’s clients (like an investment broker or a banker), a pre-employment credit check can help ensure trustworthiness and the ability to keep their funds safe and secure.

If there’s a history of mismanaging money in a credit report, it can be seen as a red flag for potential employers who are concerned the candidate would mismanage the business’s money.

Decision-Making Ability

Even in cases where a potential employee isn’t directly handling money, certain dings in their credit history can still signal a red flag to employers. Negative credit events like foreclosures, numerous bank account closings, late payments, high credit utilization rate, or liens against a job applicant can be seen as signs of negligence or carelessness that they don’t necessarily want in their workforce.

Potential for Criminal Activity

Another reason for running a background credit check for employment is to assess whether a job candidate could be a risk for criminal behavior. For example, if a potential employee has several large debts, it could leave the employer wondering whether they’d be tempted to embezzle or commit fraud to cover their own debts and financial issues.

Recommended: How to Check Your Credit Score for Free

Anticipating an Employer Credit Check

Being prepared in advance of an employer credit check can sometimes be half the battle.

Here are a few steps you can take before the job interview even begins:

1.   Obtain a copy of your credit report as soon as you can. Wondering how to review your file? You’re entitled to one free copy of your credit report per year from all three of the major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion).

  You can get it by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com . Allow plenty of time to look into any errors and file disputes, if necessary.

2.    Address any errors on your credit report. If you notice any discrepancies when you pull up your free credit report, you can provide a brief statement to dispute the findings and get on top of it before the potential employer sees it. You can also write statements that explain the cause for a discrepancy like a late payment. For example, perhaps you were late on a mortgage payment because of a disability or illness.

3.    Provide your written permission for the employer to run the credit check. This way, you’re fully prepared for the next step in the hiring process and have done everything you can to put your best foot forward.

Does an Employer Credit Check Hurt Your Credit?

You may wonder, Can an employer background check affect your credit score? Typically, the answer is no. These kinds of inquiries are known as a soft pull versus a hard pull. It won’t take points off your credit score the way a deeper inquiry (from, say, a credit card company you applied to) could.

Why Employer Credit Checks Are Controversial

Some employers may feel that credit checks provide them with additional important information on a candidate before they make a hire.

However, the controversy around employer credit checks is this: Others would say that a credit report has no impact on a person’s ability to do most jobs.

They also feel that delving into a credit report could reflect negatively on minority job seekers and others who may not have as positive credit history. In this way, accessing credit information could contribute to discrimination.

The Takeaway

A credit check for employment purposes can throw you for a real loop in the job interview process. If you’re prepared for an employment credit check in advance, there’s a good chance you can present your case in a clear and compelling manner that resonates with the employer.

Checking your credit reports is the first step to knowing what information a potential employer might access. After that, handling your finances responsibly with the right banking partner can help get you on the right track.

Interested in opening an online bank account? When you sign up for a SoFi Checking and Savings account with direct deposit, you’ll get a competitive annual percentage yield (APY), pay zero account fees, and enjoy an array of rewards, such as access to the Allpoint Network of 55,000+ fee-free ATMs globally. Qualifying accounts can even access their paycheck up to two days early.

Better banking is here with SoFi, NerdWallet’s 2024 winner for Best Checking Account Overall.* Enjoy up to 4.30% APY on SoFi Checking and Savings.

FAQ

What do employers look for when doing credit checks?

When an employer does a credit check, it is typically to assess how reliably a candidate handles financial responsibilities, decision-making ability, and possible propensity towards money-related crimes.

Why is an employer asking for a credit check?

An employer may ask for a credit as a way of gaining more insight into your financial habits and how well you make decisions. If they see high levels of debt and late payments, they might think twice about your abilities, especially in a financial position.

Can a job offer be rescinded due to bad credit?

It is legal in many states for a job offer to be rescinded after a credit check. Your prospective employer might see too many signals that your have poor decision-making and money-management skills.

Photo credit: iStock/ljubaphoto

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Financial Tips & Strategies: The tips provided on this website are of a general nature and do not take into account your specific objectives, financial situation, and needs. You should always consider their appropriateness given your own circumstances.

Third-Party Brand Mentions: No brands, products, or companies mentioned are affiliated with SoFi, nor do they endorse or sponsor this article. Third-party trademarks referenced herein are property of their respective owners.

Disclaimer: Many factors affect your credit scores and the interest rates you may receive. SoFi is not a Credit Repair Organization as defined under federal or state law, including the Credit Repair Organizations Act. SoFi does not provide “credit repair” services or advice or assistance regarding “rebuilding” or “improving” your credit record, credit history, or credit rating. For details, see the FTC’s website .

This article is not intended to be legal advice. Please consult an attorney for advice.

External Websites: The information and analysis provided through hyperlinks to third-party websites, while believed to be accurate, cannot be guaranteed by SoFi. Links are provided for informational purposes and should not be viewed as an endorsement.

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