After 12 years of general education, the time has come to join the big leagues. No matter what degree you’re aiming for, going to college can be exciting and frightening at the same. It all starts with you trying to find a reputable college.
If this is your first time applying to college, you might be feeling a little nervous and confused. However, it doesn’t have to be this way. Your college experience should always be an exciting experience.
Here’s what you need to know about applying for college.
Research Early On
You don’t have to wait until you graduate high school to look for a college. In fact, it’s recommended that you search during your time in high school. You should spend a majority of your junior year in high school looking for colleges.
Your senior year should primarily focus on learning the admission process. The admission process can vary, so it’s important to research each college and its requirements. This is where college admissions counseling comes in. They’ll help you set up everything and guide you through the process.
Determine Whether You Should Take the SAT or ACT
Once you’ve figured out what college you want to attend, the next thing you need to consider is what test to take. You can either take the SAT or the ACT. Both of these tests are used as an entryway into most colleges and go over the same subjects. The only real difference is how they’re scored. SATs are scored using a scale between 600 to 2400 while the ACTs measure scores by using 1 to 36.
In general, it doesn’t really matter which test is taken as most colleges take both of them. It’s just that some students do better with the SATs than the ACTs and vice versa. It is possible to take both of them. In fact, taking both of these tests can increase the likelihood of you getting accepted.
Be Ready to Face Rejection
If you get rejected by your college, don’t get discouraged. You can always apply again. But don’t sit around waiting for one college to accept you. Just because one college gave you a rejection doesn’t mean all of them will.
Sure, it may be a little heartbreaking to know that after all of the hard work you’ve done, all you received was a rejection letter. However, even the best of the best get rejections too. They could have the perfect grades and credentials, but the college rejected them anyway.
Applying to college is an exciting process, but it can also be very difficult. So, it’s important that you start off on the right foot. These tips aim to help you achieve just that.
BIO: Brett Clawson has a degree in Business Management and has started a couple of small businesses. When he’s not focusing his time on those, he spends time with his wife and two sons. His oldest son has entered the wonderful realm of college, and he now enjoys sharing tips that he and his son have found essential for college life.
