College Bound Girl

As senior year begins and everyone talks about how they want to get out of here as soon as possible, many senior students haven’t considering the very obvious question. What comes next? May seems like a ways away, however the end of your high school career tends to sneak up on a lot of people. They don’t realize that time is running out and they have to make quick decisions about their future that take more than a couple of seconds to make. As May draws nearer, seniors get wrapped up in graduation, prom, graduation parties, summer jobs, etc. The seniors that have thought through their college plans have the luxury of sitting around and thinking about all those things. However, that’s not the case for many.

            Start your college search as soon as possible. Those people that are over achievers even started during their junior year. Taking college tours and begin looking at what careers are out there for them is a big first step in applying for college. If you don’t have a clue as to what you want to do or major in, that’s ok too. Many students switch majors once or twice while in college. As long as you have a general idea, you’ll be fine.

            College tours are a great way to figure out if a certain college is a right fit for you. You can go on a weekend that’s open to the public; however I find it easier and more beneficial to schedule your own private visit because instead of being in a large group, you have your own personal tour guide and advisor. Asking questions on a college tour is very important. You won’t get much out of the tour without asking the right kind of questions. Good questions to ask are questions involving tuition rates, financial aid, class sizes, professors in a certain major, dorm room related questions, etc. Don’t be afraid to ask too many questions.

            Once you have your college selected, it’s time to apply. Many colleges have easy applications online. All you have to do is fill out your personal information, then go to your school’s counselor and ask them to send your official transcript to that particular college. Depending on when the college is accepting applications, you should receive word from them within a week or two.

            If you get accepted, congrats and obviously you have to do your happy dance! Depending on the college, they should tell you what you have to do to register for housing and such in your admissions letter. College is a big step in life and in your career. It’s ok to figure things out along the way and make mistakes. Just make sure you learn from those mistakes and take it seriously.

Word Count: 462