Applying to Colleges
Even though you're still in high school, it's not too early to begin thinking about your college applications. The sooner you start, the better your application packet will look to your first-choice university.
Here's what you can start doing today. Even if you're already a high-school senior, you should begin doing these things.
- Make the best-possible grades. The better you do in your high-school classes, the more attractive you'll be to admissions boards.
If you aren't the greatest student, talk to your guidance counselor or teachers about tutoring. Many districts offer free or low-cost help to students who are struggling, so don't hesitate to ask.
- Look for, and do, volunteer work. This can range from bathing dogs at the local animal shelter to organizing poetry contests for sixth-graders in your district. You're contributing something to your community, which is in itself a great reward, while adding to the positive things that you can include on your college application forms.
Many scholarship committees look at volunteer work when trying to figure out who should get this free money. Unless you've just won the lottery, you'll probably want this extra help with tuition, rent and books.
- Participate in extracurricular activities. You can join the debate team, run for a student-council office or find an after-school program that you like, among other things. These out-of-class interests will also give you the chance to meet new people, some of whom might be planning to attend the same college that you've selected.
- Start scouting colleges as soon as possible. You don't have to tour the campus just yet, but you can begin gathering information. Visit school Web sites, talk to other people who are already in college (relatives, church members, et cetera) or make an appointment to ask your high school's guidance counselor about different colleges.
- Sign up for dual-credit courses. If you're highly motivated and your high school offers enough classes, you can start college with a semester of credits already on your transcripts. Even if you acquire only a few dual credits, you're still avoiding repeated material: many lower-level college classes cover the same things that you'll learn in high school.
- Work on your essay-writing skills. This is a highly-valuable skill even after you finish this section of the SATs. Many colleges offer you the chance to write a short essay for your admissions packet. Another reason to practice your writing skills is the fact that many scholarship applications require essays. If you can write a solid response to the given topics, your application will stand out.
- Start thinking about your major. Freshmen rarely have the opportunity to declare a major — usually you'll have to wait until your sophomore year — but you can start narrowing down the possibilities now. Your high-school guidance counselor, parents and other adults can all help you find your personal strengths and interests so that you can begin exploring the career fields that will fit you the best.
Your guidance counselor will have more information and tips. These will get you started on the road to college success. You can also speak with your parents, teachers, religious leaders, and other adults about your interests. Basically, you can receive good advice from all sorts of adults — especially those who have attended college. Don't hesitate to ask: the answers that you get might be more helpful than you first thought.
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