High School is Ending... What Next?!
Sometime during your Junior year of high school, everyone will get antsy for what's next. Your friends are signing up for SAT classes, guidance counselors are scheduling meetings, and those envelopes from no-name universities come to your house every day. There's a lot to consider, but don't stress too much! This is an exciting time, especially if you're anticipating going away to school, but you still want to focus on enjoying the rest of high school.
1. Decide on a general location. This is the first step to narrowing down your choices. Do you want to commute, stay in driving distance to home, or travel far away? If your parents have an impact on this decision, make sure to discuss it with them. Another thing to consider is whether you want to be in a city, suburb, or rural environment. There are lots search engines online that can help you find schools by area.
2. Consider the price tags. Four years at a private institution is not for everyone. If you want to save money, spending two years at a community college is a smart choice, especially if you're not sure what field to study. Talk to your parents about your financial situation and look into financial aid (FAFSA), loans, and scholarships. If an intimidating price is all that stands between you and your dream school, chances are, you can get student loans to help you.
3. Research specific programs. At this point, it's totally normal to be undecided on a major. But if you have an idea, be sure to seek out schools that offer a program that fits your needs. If you want to eventually go to medical school and become a doctor, don't go to a liberal arts school with a small science program. Look for schools that offer your program, or even specialize in it. If you are undecided, it is still helpful to look through each school's most popular programs of study -- you might even see something that sparks your interest.
4. Determine reach, target, and safety schools. Once you have an idea of where you want to go to school, you need to consider what schools are likely to accept you. Your guidance counselor can help you with this, but you can also do your own research using college guide books (you can purchase these at any bookstore), the Internet, and each school's website. When you know your GPA and SAT (or ACT) scores, you can use this information to figure out what schools are at your level, or just above and below it. Grades are not the only factor -- colleges like to see that you are productive with your time. Make a resume and include any clubs, sports, jobs, extracurricular activities, achievements, leadership positions, and anything else that might set you apart from their pile of applicants.
5. Visit the campus. It is important to visit college campuses -- the more schools, the better, so you can compare them and find out what you like and dislike. Take a day trip to visit schools that you are serious about, and any other schools that are nearby. Most colleges run tours on a daily basis, but some smaller schools require you to call ahead of time or make an appointment. Schools also have open house days. These are completely geared towards prospective students, and you are likely to meet people who are going through the same process as you. Talk to people and share stories about schools that you have visited -- you might get some ideas. Most importantly, after seeing the campus and student body, you'll know whether or not you can see yourself at the school. Keep in mind that if you are planning to live on campus, the quality of life is an important aspect to consider. Look carefully at the dorms, dining halls, and the overall atmosphere of the campus.
6. Apply! After doing all the research, make a final list of schools that you want to apply to. Depending on your personal circumstance, the number of schools you apply to can range between five and twelve. You can apply to as many schools as you would like, but there are application fees. Be sure to apply to mostly "target" schools (schools on your level), and a couple of "reach" and "safety" schools, just in case. Lots of schools accept the Common Application which is fast and easy, but some require a special application, essay, or statement. After you make sure that your application materials are ready, send them out.
The application process is long and there's a lot to take into consideration, but finding the perfect school for you will be rewarding. Good luck!
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