College Planning: Top Ten Tips
- 1. The start is scarier than the finish. If you fail to plan you will plan to fail.
- 2. There is a college for everyone. Define your needs, personally, academically, professionally and socially to allow for the best college match possible.
- 3. Outline your standardized test requirements and goals and decide on what tools you need to maximize your scores.
- 4. Starting early in the college admissions process will provide you the best opportunity for success.
- 5. Decide on the affordability after the acceptances and financial aid award letters arrive. Do not decide on which college’s to apply to based on the posted tuition, room and board.
- 6. Expecting your high school guidance counselor to spend continual, one on one time with you throughout the college admissions process is setting both of you up for failure.
- 7. If you would like ANY financial aid complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).
- 8. Develop your high school resume, including all of your academic achievements, jobs held, volunteer activities and athletics, points that personalize your individuality.
- 9. Work on your essay early. Write it, step away, have someone else review it, rewrite it and then finalize.
- 10. You don’t have to know what you want to be when you grow up, when you first go to college. College is about personal discovery and growth. You will find your way along the journey.
