Thursday, January 22, 2015

By Janine Hughes


The high school years are important for laying the educational groundwork for a future in college. A successful high school graduate is someone who thinks ahead, studies hard, gets involved and ultimately attains the credentials necessary to gain entry into the best colleges. This practical guide to preparing for college will help put high school students on the right track.

In the freshman year, students will most likely be preoccupied with this exciting new environment that is high school, and not too concerned about college which may seem a long way off. However it is still important for them to keep this is mind as their ultimate destination and start giving thought to it. Meeting with one's guidance counselor is the best way to establish one's preferred stream of study and select the necessary courses.

There are some students who know exactly what field of study they want to pursue and there are those who are less certain and may need assistance in this area. The guidance counselor will be able to help students devise a tentative schedule of courses for their four years of study, they will ensure that students have a balance of required core subjects, as well as those which will be needed as prerequisites by colleges.

Besides notable academic achievement, students should also consider getting involved on an extracurricular level. It shows dedication and good time management skills if a student can both study and participate in sports, the school yearbook or newspaper, or volunteer with a local organization. This can help give one a competitive edge when applying to college.

In order to achieve and maintain a high cumulative grade point average, students need to apply themselves consistently each year. This means they need to be attentive in class, take organized notes, and dedicate themselves to studying a certain number of hours every week. Not only will doing so improve one's GPA, but it will also act as suitable preparation for college classes which are busier, bigger, and call for even stronger study skills.

In about the sophomore year, students should seriously start looking at the particular colleges which offer programs they are interested in. Not only is it necessary to get informed about the academic programs available, but also the other aspects of college life such as housing, tuition, financial aid, books, and scholarships. It's not too soon to start planning ahead with regards to these details, and it may be a good time to start a school savings fund.

The junior or senior year is also the time to write one's SAT, ACT, or PSAT. These aptitude tests are required by many colleges, and a minimum score is necessary for admission into specific programs. There are preparatory classes and guides to help students perform their best on these tests which can be quite helpful.

Visiting the campuses of the schools one hopes to attend before applying to them is a good idea, just to be certain that it's the right choice. It is essential to make sure all the necessary information and requirements will be met in time for the application deadline and also that a copy is made for one's personal records.




About the Author:



0 commentaires:

Post a Comment