Do’s and Don’ts of College Preparation

So you’re going to college!! Remember these dos and don'ts.

It’s never too early to make sure you’re on the right track to get into the college of your choice. Here are a few “do’s and don’ts” to help you on your way.

Do
Focus on you GPA! Take the most challenging course you can. If you’re a senior, it doesn’t mean you can relax. Colleges have been known to take back their offers of acceptance if you don’t keep up your GPA.

Don’t
Take AP classes unless you can do well in them. A low grade can crash your overall GPA.

Do
Start looking for colleges ASAP. Make sure you include “safety” schools (colleges that you’re sure to get into) on your list.

Don’t
Disregard the above advice. Plenty of students with great GPAs and SAT/ACT scores get rejected by colleges every year.

Do
Visit the government Website www.bls.gov/oco. There you will find the Occupational Outlook Handbook. You’ll get the lowdown on every job in Amercia, such as educational requirements, job outlook, and salary. Browse around see what interests you.

Do
Start researching scholarships as early as your freshman yar. The more scholarships you know about, the more likely you are to get one.

Don’t
Forget to ask your parents, guardians, grandparents, aunts, and uncles if the companies they work for offer scholarships to family members.

Do
Get to know at least two teachers whom you’ll be able to ask for a recommendation.

Don’t
Put off asking teachers for letters of recommendation until the last minute. Your application won’t be considered by a college until it’s complete. If the letter is late and the college is on a rolling admission (first come, first served), it can hurt your chances.

Do
Take the SAT and ACT your junior year. If your scores are lower than you’d like, you have time to take them again.

Don’t
Take the test cold. Both the SAT and ACT have Web sites where you can take practice tests, and there are plenty of resources to help you study.

Do
Start talking to your parents about what finances are available for your college education. Ask them to help you look into federal financial aid to see what help is available.

Don’t
Overlook community college, especially if money is tight. You can take the core curriculum at a community colleges act as “feeder” to four-year colleges, you’ll be able to transfer in. (This is also good plan if your GPA isn’t up to par).

Do
Get involved in extracurricular activities. Try a variety to see what interests you, but…

Don’t
Overdo it! Colleges don’t want a laundry list of things you belongs. They want to see you involved, interested, taking on leadership roles and being a team player.

Do
Take a deep breath and relax! Even though it doesn’t seems like it could, everything does work out in the end.

By Cheryl Riley
College Outlook