How to Prepare for College It’s never too early to prepare for college life. Actually, students can start as early as middle school when it comes to preparing for their college careers. Middle school students in New York can start preparing for college by choosing a specialized high school to attend. They must then begin Specialized High School Admissions Test prep to get ready to attend an elite school. This high stakes test is similar in intensity and importance to the ACT or SAT. Once the student has reached high school they should enroll in appropriate classes, develop and maintain good, effective study habits and work on developing essential skills like reading and writing. Taking the Right High School Classes Help Prepare you for College College requirements for classes can vary but some of them will be the same for entering nearly any college. For instance, most will require the minimum of 4 English classes, Algebra, a science and a foreign language. It is important to talk to the school counselor who can help ensure you get the right classes to meet the requirements of the college you want to attend. There are also some recommendations made by education professionals that can help you make sure your schedule contains the right classes. ACT, SAT and the US Department of Education all have recommendations on the types of classes required to attend most colleges. Colleges want to accept students who have obtained a well-rounded educational experience. Take plenty of classes that are more challenging so you will be better prepared for college classes in the future. Practice and Maintain Good Study Habits It may not be totally obvious if you have college ready study skills or not. It will help you prepare if you begin developing good study skills and habits in high school they are likely to be just as effective once you reach the college level. Here are a few tips for improving your study skills: •
Use a “to do” list to help you get organized and stay organized
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Set reasonable goals for yourself so you can reach them
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Learn how to prioritize. A test you have to take tomorrow should be more important than the assignment you have due next week
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Be careful to take thorough notes – keep them and review them frequently
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Find out how you learn best, how you study best then use your preferences as a tool to help you study
Work on Your Reading and Writing Skills A person who can read well can learn any topic; and a person who can write well will be a good communicator. College courses will typically require a lot more reading than what is required in your high school classes. Start as early as possible reading as much as is possible. Even reading fiction or other books throughout high school and the summer months will help you get ready for college. Reading across many genres will help you increase your vocabulary and improve your reading skills. These two are essential for success in college classes. It is not real important what you read, however, it can be beneficial to choose materials recommended by your college of choice, or materials related to your areas of academic pursuit or personal interests. Writing is an important skill for those attending college. You’ll need it no matter what field you end up going into and being an effective writer will help you get through your classes. Write every time you get the opportunity. Start a blog, keep a journal or write letters to friends. Always read through your writing to ensure there are no typos or errors. Remember to spell check too as the programs do not catch everything. Develop Technical Skills Anyone who is planning on attending college should become very familiar with technology. It is a useful skill for helping you complete projects and many of your homework assignments. If you can type quickly and efficiently, you will be able to complete most assignments much quicker and if you hone in some of the basic computer skills you will be able to complete tasks much faster. For instance, it’s important to know how to conduct an online search and to be able to identify reputable resources both on
and off line. Technology is a tool that will help you be successful in your college career. Take the time to learn as much about it as possible.