Spring semester is here and for most high school seniors, this begins the countdown toprom, graduation and enjoying one last summer with friends before going off to college and beginning a new chapter in your life in possibly a new city. College life is the first step into being an adult and determines your future, although it is a wonderful experience, the process to getting in can be a bit challenging. College preparation should start as early as your junior year of high school, waiting until the last minute can be overwhelming. In this article, we will be sharing tips on how to start the process and how to prepare for future freshmen.
1. Research college majors
– Most students don’t know what major they want to pursue at least until their second year of college, thinking ahead about what you might like to study and potentially have a future career in will help you save time with advisors, then from there, you will just have to plan exactly what courses to take. Once you figure out what major you like start learning more about those tracks if the college, you’re interested in offers them. “Take the time to explore what type of academic advising programs are at your university,” JesCasimir, a rising senior and admissions ambassador at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, wrote in an email. “It’s always a good idea to make a connection with someone who can help you figure out the best plan of attack for completing all of your major/minor requirements.”
2. Select your top schools and apply
– Once you know what major you would like to pursue, then it is time to start researching the top schools that have that program available. When looking at schools there are a few things you must take into consideration such as:o GPA Requirements Prerequisiteso SAT/ACT scoreso Location Tuition o Graduation rate3. College Tour– Once you narrow down the colleges you are interested in attending the next step is scheduling a tour. Visiting universities with your parents lessens the stress of being so far away from home and gives you an opportunity to meet other incoming freshmen, you get a feel of what college life is like before starting classes and if you can, meeting current students and having a conversation with them on campus will also give you a better picture of that school’s culture. These tours can also help you determine if that campus will be the right fit for you or not. A lot of universities may be too far from home for students to make an initial visit so if you cannot make it physically there are virtual tours available as well, it may not be the same but at least you get an idea of how your future campus looks.
4. Start preparing for test.
– Once you enter your junior or senior year your high school will require that you take testssuch as PSAT/ACT/SAT and most colleges accept at least one of them as a requirement.This is one of the most important moments to consider when getting ready for college.
5. Apply for scholarships
– Everyone wants free money to help them attend college. There are thousands of scholarships available online. Each scholarship provider has its own application and its own rules to decide who can get its scholarship, not all of them require a certain GPA. All you must do is find as many scholarships as you can that you think you might qualify for and apply by the deadlines.
