Juniors attended their first college counseling session of the year in their respective counselor’s designated location during extra help on Tuesday in preparation for the college application process.

During the meeting, the counselors discussed standardized testing, the junior questionnaire, the common application and supplements and the overall process of what is to come for juniors.

The four counselors, Nicole Burrell, Kevin Lum Lung, Andrew Quinn and Martin Walsh, strongly advised students to take the SAT or ACT before the end of junior year, set up one-on-one meetings and start researching colleges. All of the counselors emphasized the need for students to “know themselves.”

In an effort to encourage students to “open their minds” to all colleges and make informed choices, Lum Lung wove his session around a general theme.

“The most important thing is to know yourself, rather than to know the process,” Lum Lung said.

When searching for the “right fit,” Lum Lung recommended that students consider factors such as weather and location.

Esther Wang (11), whose counselor is Nicole Burrell, commented what she has learned about the application process.

“I learned that the college counseling process is as much about knowing myself as it is about the process of applying to college,” Esther said. “In all honesty, it’s going to be a lot of work, but hopefully my efforts up till now will pay off.”

At the start of the meeting, Burrell’s students were given three questions on notecards and asked to write down the answers:

“If you were an action figure, what accessory would you have?”

“If you could meet any celebrity/historical figure, who would it be?”

“If you could only visit one website for the rest of your life, which one would it be?”

These questions were designed to simulate actual questions asked on college applications and in interviews.

Junior Arun Shriram found the meeting informative and believes that the college counselors will be a help as he starts to learn more about himself.

“I was impressed by [Burrell’s] knowledge of colleges, and I was excited when I heard that she herself was one of the people who read college applications in a college,” Arun said. “I think she will be very helpful, as she knows the ins and outs of applying to colleges.”

For those who missed Tuesday’s meeting, there will be a make-up session Friday during extra help.