High School Tips to Help Prepare for College

Students,  stop me if you heard this one before: "What college to you plan on attending"?

If you are a high school student reading this, I'm sure this isn't new to you.   Here's another one: "What do you want to do when you graduate?"   Seriously though, how many times have you heard this from friends or family?  You may get annoyed with this, but if you really think about it, all they want to know is what your plans are for the rest of your life.  That's not a hard question to answer is it?!  OK, it is, but for those of you who are tired of being put in a situation where you feel discouraged answering these sometimes awkward questions, here's a little advice.

Starting your freshman year in high school, there are several tips you should consider to help keep you on the right track.   Here are a few:

High School Class Curriculum

First off, make friends with your guidance counselor and make sure they are aware of your intentions of a college career.  They will help position you in the classes that will best prepare you for a college curriculum.  They may not know everything there is to know regarding every career or even what the financial aid strategies are, however they bring in a lot of value at this stage.

All colleges specify how many math, English, social studies, science, and foreign language classes applicants should take to qualify for their freshman class.  So, make sure you are taking the right courses and enough of them.  This is where your guidance counselor can be your ally. 

AP Classes/Exams

Advanced Placement courses are designed to allow students in high school to take individual college level classes in subjects of their choosing.  These classes enable the student to study an area in greater depth and therefore challenge him or herself with college level courses.  They are a great opportunity for students to learn new skills while also increasing favor among admission officers when it comes time to apply to college.  Colleges are looking to enroll students who challenge themselves and can succeed in college-level courses.    There is an exam given at the end of each term; if you pass this exam, you may receive college credit, therefore saving you time and, more importantly, money!   As you can imagine, these courses are challenging, so a word of caution:  do NOT bite off more than you can chew.   The last thing you want is for your other grades to suffer.  

College Visits

Would you buy a car without taking a test drive?   Same thing applies when selecting a college.   If you are unsure of what colleges you want to attend, start with the schools in your surrounding area for practice.   You will find campus visits to be extremely helpful in narrowing your list further.   So, visit your state schools as well as private campuses.   Also, if at all possible, try to schedule your visit while school is in session.  This is extremely important.   It allows you to witness the students and the campus in action.  Are these the kind of students you see yourself around for the next 4 or 5 years?  I recommend what I call the “bench test.”   At the end of each campus visit, find a bench and just sit.  Then ask the question, "Is this the place for me?"

The bridge from high school to college is one of the most defining moments in a student’s life.   With this being said, be sure to use your time and energy while in high school to your advantage by challenging yourself and exploring your interests so that when it comes time to make your decision, you have done your due diligence.