College Prep for High School Students

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High school students have a lot of things to do throughout their final year if they plan on attending a college or university. Aside from the general preparations to make that final leap out of the family nest, there are schools to investigate, questions about tuition and financial aid to be answered, counselors to meet, and the all important dates for the PSAT, ACT, SAT, and AP tests to get ready for.

One very good (and simple) tool that can help most high school students get ready for college is a large wall calendar that displays an entire year at a time. Marking the calendar with color-coded pens to show the admission, scholarship, financial aid, and other important college-related deadlines on the appropriate dates can really be a big help in getting organized. Getting organized means getting interested and involved in the entire process of going to a higher education facility, and if the college-bound student isn’t ready to put in the time and effort required to help himself, who will?

College Preparation Checklist:

Start Saving –
Saving up money before you get to college is easier than trying to make or save while you are already busy trying to get a degree. If you have not started saving yet, get started now.

Get a Job –
Consider taking on a side job to make some extra money and start developing a good work ethic that can help you make friends and business connections that may be of real value later when you need them most. It will also look very good on your resume.

Become a Reader –
No matter how much or how fast you can read now, the faster you are able to read and the more material you are able to comprehend, the easier your schoolwork will be, and you’ll do better on all of those college admission tests too.

Get Serious About School –
Getting serious abut your schooling means taking it seriously and that means trying to get the best grades you possibly can prior to graduating from high school. Good grades are obviously a real plus when trying to get into a good school.

Get Involved in More than Just School –
Getting involved in things like clubs and extracurricular activities outside of your regular school work builds skills, character, and a sense of community involvement. Hobbies, sports, music, church activities, student council positions, and volunteer projects will all reflect you in a better light than if you were just another non-committed (and lazy) student. Extracurricular activities and volunteerism are both highly valued by college admission panels, scholarship committees, and employers too.

Take a Look for Yourself –
Try to spend some time on those college campuses that you are considering if possible. Visiting them in person will show what each campus is like and you’ll get a feel for the differences between the schools. Any information you can glean in advance will help guide you to a better final decision when the time comes to choose the right school for your particular needs.