Attention Seniors: I know that the beginning of senior year can be stressful but soon it will be worth it! Here are some tips to help you get ready for the college process:
- Start the college process early- The sooner you get it over with the sooner you can enjoy your senior year. The process can be long and tedious but worth it when you find and get into your dream school.
- Work on you resume- You will need to make a resume which will contain all of your activities and organizations you were involved in during high school. During the application process, some schools will ask you for your resume and others won’t but you should submit it anyway. It is always better to go the extra mile. Also, if you don’t know how to start with a resume ask your guidance counselor or use online resources!
- Applying to schools- Make sure when you are applying for colleges that you consider safety schools and reach schools. It is always important to have a university to fall back on if your first choice does not work out. Make sure you utilize sites such as College Board to help you narrow down your searches. Consider the location, programs and clubs and organizations offered through the colleges. You want to make sure you look into all the opportunities that are offered. Also, enjoy the college process. It is an exciting time and you want to make it worth it!
- Visiting colleges: I highly recommend visiting as many schools as you can because that is the only way you will get a feel if it is a university for you. You will learn information on guided tours that you wouldn’t have known otherwise. Also, make sure you contact your admissions counselor because they might be able to set up a visit where you can sit in on a class that you intend to major in. Another thing to do when visiting schools is to walk around campus and ask students about reasons why they attend the school. This will give you a first-hand feel of the institution. Another thing to do while visiting colleges is to try and visit when school is in session so you can see the campus in action.
- Apply for scholarships: This is really important! There are so many scholarships offered in high schools that are directed towards seniors so there will be a better chance of you winning. You should also look into local town scholarships and national scholarships. Honestly, every little bit counts. You would be amazed. If you keep applying you are bound to win some. If you are struggling, the internet has so many helpful tips, there are also so many books written to help people win scholarships.
- Don’t believe everything you read or hear- This is a general rule of life but during the application process it is important to follow. Just because you heard one bad rumor or stereotype about the school it does not mean the school is bad. Keep an open mind.
- Consider taking the ACT/ SAT again- If you have the chance to improve your scores take advantage of it! Improving your score by a few points or few hundred points could allow you to get a bigger scholarship at an institution.
