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Preparing for College

  1. Preparing For College
  2. Finding the Right College
  3. Applying to College
  4. The Application Essay
  5. The Interview
  6. Selecting a School
  7. Paying for School
  8. Scholarship and Award Essays

Preparing For College

Self Assessment

Most high school students do not know before they get to college what subject they plan to major in, much less what career they will ultimately end up pursuing. However, it is worthwhile to think about your broader areas of interest before you begin the college preparation process.

Your guidance counselor is a terrific resource to help you focus on both what you are interested in as well as what you might be good at. So make an appointment to meet with your guidance counselor early on in your high school career, preferably in your sophomore or junior year.

Specific things you should focus on when meeting with your counselor are:

  • What are your goals after high school? While most students choose a four year college, others may prefer a technical degree, a year abroad, work, etc.
  • Assuming you want to attend a four year college, you should know the level of work necessary to meet your dream college course requirements. Have your counselor put together a list of the classes you will need to take through the end of your senior year to achieve your goals.
  • Are your grades good enough to be accepted at your dream school? Your goals should be realistic given your level of ability. Talking about what grades you need to attend a good school while you are a sophomore will help you focus on what is important and achievable.
  • Extra-curricular activities are incredibly important to most colleges today. They want to accept students with different interests. That does not mean that you have to do everything! Excelling in one or two areas is actually preferable as long as you are able to hold your own elsewhere. Go over your activities with your guidance counselor and discuss whether you can do more to make yourself a better candidate.

Major or job choice

There is a lot of pressure on students nowadays to choose their major almost as soon as they arrive on campus. And right beyond that decision is the job search. It is important not to get locked into a decision that you later regret. GradeSaver therefore recommends that you figure out what you might enjoy doing, both academically and for later employment.

Several personality and aptitude tests exist which you might find helpful as you think about your future. Probably the most famous is the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). This test assesses your personality type and presents you with popular career options. Several unofficial (and free) versions exist online and take around 30 minutes to complete.

Ignoring test results for a second, you should make sure that you are interested in the path you are choosing. You should never be bored with what you are learning in school or doing for your job; interest in the subject will make it fun and you will be far more successful. Ask yourself what you would like to do the most in a perfect world -- paint, write, stand in front of a jury, design and sell clothing? Then work out in reverse what courses to take, what internships to apply for, and even which first jobs out of school you might need to make it happen.

Entrance Exams

Undergraduate and graduate students are usually required to take standardized entrance exams and submit them to the schools they are applying to. These scores are used by the universities to assess students' abilities and to help them with the admission decisions.

The most common exams are:

Undergraduate: SAT, ACT, TOEFL

Graduate: GMAT, GRE, LSAT

The SAT is by far the most popular standardized exam in use today. It is generally taken by high school students who are planning on applying to college in the near future. The SAT is not only required by many colleges as a condition for admission, but the score you receive is critically important in the admissions process. There are three sections on the exam: reading comprehension, writing and mathematics.

And it is not only admissions where it matters. Some scholarships and other awards can be based on your SAT score. So getting the highest score possible on the SAT can help you to both get into and pay for your first choice school.

You can take the SAT exam as many times as you like, but be aware that all of your scores will be sent to the colleges you apply to. This usually works to your advantage as universities use the highest SAT score that you receive on each section of the test if you have taken it more than once. That being said, most counselors recommend taking the SAT at most three times.

The ACT is another standardized college entrance exam that is sometimes a nice alternative to the SAT. Unlike the SAT, it is curriculum based and you can elect which score is sent to the colleges you apply to if you take it more than once. Most universities will accept either the SAT or the ACT.

If you have not yet taken your SAT or ACT, or have taken it and are looking to improve, GradeSaver recommends going to PrepMe. PrepMe offers SAT, ACT and PSAT preparation, as well as good general advice about the tests.

The TOEFL measures the ability of non-native English speakers to speak, read, write and listen to English. Different schools require different TOEFL scores, so check with the school before you apply. Most test centers offer a computer-based version of the TOEFL as well which can be a convenient option for taking it. The exam is written and administered by the Educational Testing Service (ETS).

The GMAT is designed for business school applicants. It tests basic math, verbal and analytical writing skills. In many ways it resembles the SAT in format, but with more focus on analytical abilities, critical reasoning and problem solving.

The GRE is required by many general graduate school programs. It is one of the factors used to decide admission. The exam tests verbal, math and analytical skills.

The LSAT is taken by law school applicants and is approved by the American Bar Association. The LSAT focuses much more on logical and analytical reasoning, and it is usually necessary for students to practice the types of logic questions ahead of time to familiarize themselves with the format.

AP Classes and Good Grades

AP classes are a great way to gain college credit prior to showing up as a freshman. But before you sign up for all the AP classes your school has to offer, spend some time reviewing with you guidance counselor which ones you really need. After all, taking an AP class is not worth it if your grades start to suffer. You should focus on taking AP classes in subjects you excel at and enjoy studying.

Keeping your GPA high is commendable, but donít take easy classes just to avoid a B or a C grade. Most colleges know how to distinguish between an AP class in which you get a B and a an intro class in which you get an A.


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