A College How-to

How to prepare for college as a highschooler

Mack Rudder, Staff Writer

For many students, college can seem overwhelming, especially if you are the first in your family to go. There are so many different colleges, degrees, and pathways to get there. How do you decide which one is the best for you?

To help make this experience easier for you, here are some commonly asked questions explained.

How to apply for colleges?

College applications are like puzzles, it is best if you stay organized. Every college has different requirements, and a different application process, which is mostly online now. Most colleges require the same basic things though, such as your high school transcript, certain test scores (ACT score or AP exam scores), recommendation letters, and sometimes an application essay or personal statement. Each college is different, but you can usually find their application requirements online or on the college’s website. You should start applying for colleges at the beginning of your senior year. Most college’s early decision applications are due in the fall, and normal applications are usually due in January or February. You should start preparing to apply for colleges your junior year though. Organization is key during this process.

Make sure you have everything in order before you begin the process.

What if I can’t afford college? College is expensive and many students can not afford it either. This does not mean that it is impossible though. Over 85% of America’s students receive some type of financial aid. Financial aid is any grant, scholarship, loan, or workstudy program that helps students pay for college. Out of this percent, 2 3s of these students are receiving need-based financial aid. This means they receive funds based on their or their family’s financial status. To apply for this type of aid, you must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA. Each year, FAFSA applications become available on October 1st. This application takes into consideration your family’s financial situation and what resources you have available for you to pay for college. They will then determine how much need-based financial based aid you could receive. You have to reapply each year you continue to attend college, though. After you apply for FAFSA and are accepted into the colleges you applied to, you will get a financial aid offer from each college. After you accept a college’s offer, your financial aid should automatically be taken off of your total college bill.

How do I apply for scholarships? What are Scholarships? Need-based is not the only tpe of scholarship. There are also merit-based scholarships. These scholarships can be academic-based, talent-based, or sometimes situational. These scholarships could cover your whole tuition or be a one-time award. When applying for scholarships you need to ensure they are legitimate and not a scam. To avoid scams, always stay alert. It is never too early to start applying for scholarships, but you need to make sure you meet the qualifications when applying. You can find merit-based scholarships through your high school, different clubs and groups you are involved in at school, and through different trustworthy websites. Most merit-based scholarships have different requirements, so make sure you read them carefully and thoughtfully.

What if I’m not sure what degree/major I want to pursue? Not knowing what major to pursue is not that uncommon. If you are not sure what major to declare, you can always go into college undeclared, or you could declare a major and then change