Closer Than You Think: Tips for College-bound High School Juniors
By Alison Cotten
Picture it: your feet crunching through the fall leaves on a college campus, obligatory backpack in tow, on your way to yet another mind expanding experience inside your favorite professor's classroom. Is this the way you've always pictured your college experience? If it is, then the time to begin planning is now. For seniors, applications are in, acceptance letters are on the way, prom tickets have been bought, and high school graduation is just around the corner. For juniors, however, the college admissions craze is just beginning, and careful planning is the key to success on the journey to the ultimate learning experience...college.
So what's first on the to do list of a college-bound high school junior? Knowing yourself. Before serious college consideration can take place, you must be clear about what it is you're looking for in your college experience. Consider your personal interests and academic priorities. Sit down and make a list of what will be important to you when evaluating schools, keeping in mind things like location, size, programs of study, and admissions requirements. Also answer the following questions: What do you enjoy doing in school? What do you like to do outside of school in your leisure time? What kind of a student are you? What is your class rank and SAT score? What do you love and hate about school in general? Knowing yourself is crucial to finding an appropriate college where you will feel comfortable and find success.
The second step for most college-bound students is organization. Although your mailbox may seem to be an endless, bountiful supply of glossy view books from a myriad of colleges across the country, you must know how to organize and utilize this overwhelming river of information. The best method of organization for college mail is quite simple. First, find three boxes or containers and label them as "definitely possible", "maybe";, and "not interested". Sort through the information you've collected from various universities and read each brochure carefully, looking for appealing characteristics of each school based on your requirements. Divide each brochure into one of the three boxes, carefully evaluating each university according to your personal preferences. As you continue to receive information, continue to divide your mail into one of the three categories. Periodically, go back through your "maybe" box and try to make a firm decision about each school, dividing the brochures into your "definitely possible" or "not interested" boxes. Your "definitely possible" box will provide a solid list of schools for you to start researching via the internet, college books, or other resources.
Finally, after organizing your mail and doing your research, it is time to begin scheduling college visits. There is no substitute for the college visit, and you should make every effort to personally tour the colleges on your "definitely possible" list. The summer before your senior year provides a good opportunity to do preliminary school visits, though it may be difficult to get a true picture of the college since most students will not be on campus. Whenever you choose to see your possible schools, be sure to take tours, visit dorms, and attend classes. Also take a peek at the library, the bookstore, and the cafeteria of each university to get an authentic feel for the atmosphere of each school. Reading the school paper and talking with current students are fantastic ways to get information that is not printed in brochures or on the website. Often, current students will lead campus tours, and they are a great source of information. Don't be afraid to ask questions, not only about the academic aspects of the campus, but also about the social scene. Look around and consider if you would feel comfortable on each campus.
The college admissions maze is just beginning for high school juniors, and though stressful, careful planning and organization will give you an edge if you start early. So get your backpack on and get ready for college. It's closer than you think!
