Pre-school prepares us for Kindergarten. Kindergarten prepares us for elementary school. Elementary school gets us ready for middle school, which is one step before high school. What does high school do? Well, that depends; some of us plan on getting jobs and becoming adults, but others use high school to transition themselves into college.
College may seem quite far off, especially for freshmen, or it can seem like the Big Bad Wolf ready to force you an eviction. Regardless of how close it seems, you may always feel it lurking, especially if you’re unsure of your future plans. Many seniors, including myself, are still unsure as to what we want to do with our lives.
Once you decide whether or not you plan on attending higher education, which I highly suggest, the next domineering question arises: Where do I want to spend the next two to eight years of my life? There are many factors to consider: distance, acceptance, programs, living arrangements, food options, clubs, sports, activities, student enrollment and possibly the most important factor— the price it will take to go there.
These factors are only the tip of the iceberg. All these topics to consider may seem overwhelming, and let me be the first to tell you, they are, but don’t give up hope. It may seem cheesy, but the best way to keep all the factors you find important right in front of you, is to make a chart.
I made a chart to help me through the process, and it has helped greatly. On the leftmost column, the colleges I am considering are listed. Data in this chart includes if I visited the campus, what the application fee is or when the free deadline is, if I finished my application, if I sent my transcript, if I was accepted, the academic scholarship they’ve awarded me, the tuition, the total cost with room, board, and fees and finally the price I’ll have to pay factored with the scholarship. This is just one chart that focuses on applications and money, but you could make other charts that focus on the clubs or student opportunities.
Experts suggest that you should apply to at least ten schools and keep your mind open. Western PA is so highly populated with colleges and technical schools that there should be no problem with coming up with ten schools to apply to. Most schools do have application fees anywhere from $25-50. At the same time, most of those schools also waive the fee if you apply by a certain date.
Most colleges also require scores from either the SATs or ACTs, so you must be sure you schedule at least one of those exams. Although they do cost about $50 to take, in the grand scheme of things, that is a very minute amount when dealing with the price of college. You also have the option to retake the test at a later date and for as many times as you would like. Many people don’t take this opportunity because of the price associated with it. I did retake the SATs and will suggest everyone to follow suit, because statistics show your scores improve after taking the tests a second time. I scored 210 points higher on the SAT which then increased the scholarships I received from some colleges up to $5,000.
Organization and research are the most important components when determining your future. If you don’t plan on going to college, you should research what you can do without a degree and what the job outlook is in the field you are looking at. For many, community college is the answer because it is considerably cheaper. At CCBC, they also provide a full-tuition scholarship for the first two years if you are in the top 10% of your class, keep good grades at the college and fulfill a given number of community service hours. When you research and evaluate your schooling options, you can start to relax and peel away the layers of stress.
After evaluating, you can start to narrow down the pool of prospects and realize other questions you may have. When you narrow them down, you can personally contact each college and get the answers to those questions. Applying for additional scholarships within the colleges becomes easier when you only are focusing on two or three schools as opposed to 10 or 12. I extend good luck and fortune to all those who are planning their future. Feel free to contact me or the guidance office if you have any questions or concerns about college or your future plans.