YEAR BY YEAR
Planning for college can be intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. It’s much more manageable when you break it down into steps throughout your high school career. BY RUTH CORRADI BEACH
FRESHMAN YEAR
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COLLEGE 101 • WINTER-SPRING 2022
SOPHOMORE YEAR
For students who haven’t started to do so already, the second year of high school is the time to start thinking about specifics. “Sophomore year is a good time to consider factors of what you want in a college or university: distance, majors, activities, athletics, campus environment, size of student body and affordability, to name a few,” says Dysart Ford. All of these factors can help guide your class schedule soph-
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The first year of high school is the time to start taking the courses that will set you on your path, and guidance counselors can help ensure you’re getting started on the right foot. “Freshmen should be taking classes in core academic subjects,” says Jennifer Folden, director of strategic communications and college relations at Zane State College, a community college in Zanesville. “Students want to be taking the most challenging classes they can in those core academic subjects.” For freshmen who have selective colleges they are considering, it is a good idea to look at the course requirements as well as GPA and applicable test score requirements for admission, adds Tracey Dysart Ford, vice president for enrollment management at Defiance College. “This way, you can work with your guidance counselor to make sure you are on track,” she says. Early coursework decisions are important so students can consider Advanced Placement or College Credit Plus classes. (Students ready for College Credit Plus classes can take them as early as seventh grade). Some institutions grant course credits for passing grades on Advanced Placement tests, while College Credit Plus work is guaranteed to transfer to Ohio public colleges or universities. Students can graduate high school with college credits free of charge.
“Freshman students also should be considering what they’re doing outside the classroom, be it athletics, student leadership or community service,” advises Elaine Ruse, associate vice president of student enrollment and business services at Youngstown State University. “The biggest thing would be to stay involved in school or community-based activities that interest them and even lets them explore career interests,” says Ruse. “Consider volunteering or working or both.” It is also a good idea for students to keep track of what they participated in over the course of their high school career. “Students should start keeping an extracurricular resume which will be helpful for future scholarship applications,” Folden says. “Leadership and community service are great application and resume builders.”
