While fall for some people means bonfires, football and hoodies, it means it is time to start getting ready for college for seniors. Here are some tips to make this time less stressful.
Finding the right school
College visits and college fairs can help to provide information about schools. There will be a National College Fair at Saint Louis University Oct 21, from 12-3 p.m. A few of the schools that will be there include Colorado State, Missouri State, Indiana University, Boston University, and Michigan State. While registration is not required, it’s recommended.
“Don’t cross off a school for one factor like size or location,” Michael Rath said. “Look into what the school really offers.”
Social climate can also factor into the decision, such as how liberal or conservative a campus might be. Abby Peterson encourages all students to find the right fit.
SAT/ACT
As far as taking the ACT or SAT, Abby Peterson, college counselor, recommends taking both.
“We encourage students to diversify themselves, although [the tests are] pretty much one and the same,” Peterson said.
Most of the time, schools will accept either or both scores, and it is rare they will only accept the SAT. The next ACT date is Oct 27, while the next SAT date is Oct 6. Matthew Norman, senior, has taken the ACT as well as an ACT prep class. Register for the ACT here.
“The workshop helped a lot,” Norman said. “It gave me a lot of strategies that helped me on the ACT.”
ACT prep classes are offered through a variety of different sources for different time periods. These can be found on Naviance and the KHS website.
Extracurricular Activities
Many students also wonder about how much extracurricular participation factors into college planning. Abby Peterson said it is not the amount of activities but how much someone invests in them.
“Do whatever interests you,” Peterson said. “It’s kind of a myth that they want to see you involved in hundreds of organizations. They want to see you pursue leadership endeavors. Show dedication outside of your normal coursework and grade point average.”
Financing college
Financial issues can feed into a student’s final decision on where they go to college. Michael Rath, senior, placed a great deal of emphasis on the financial aspect.
“Money was a deciding factor for me college-wise,” Rath said. “I looked for schools that would automatically award scholarships based on criteria I met such as being a National Merit Scholar.”
Looking at a school’s website can help to determine what scholarships you qualify for through the school itself. Going to a community college for two years and then transferring can save a lot of money that might have been spent on the first two years at a major university, while also getting general education credits out of the way. At Meramec, it would cost $2,085 for 15 hours (about a semester), while at University of Missouri it would cost $9,272 for a year, not including room and board. Grace Randolph, senior, is taking a less traditional approach to get around the issue of paying for school. She will go to Meramec for two years and then transfer to Washington University and will get a tuition benefit, but only after her mom has worked there for a certain number of years.
Some other tips
Abby Peterson recommends applying to three to five schools and being serious about academics. Choosing general interests early on will also be helpful in choosing schools to apply to. While students may have to apply to schools now, they do not have to make any final decisions about schools.
“Don’t feel like you have to know right now. Seniors have till May 2013 to decide where they want to go,” Peterson said.
For more tips about college, click here: http://capone.mtsu.edu/studskl/10tips.html
