Going to college is one of the biggest steps in life. This is when you really prepare yourself for the future and become more independent. The process of getting into college is not easy.

     You want to start preparing yourself as early as freshman year in high school. You want to get more of an idea of what you major in/ something you are really interested in that you want to pursue in life. 

     Ask for help and or advice from your guidance counselor. Ms. Olsen shares advice she helps seniors with during their process.

     “Upcoming seniors should take time to explore college’s websites and campuses. I would also recommend getting a head start on your college essay, so that you don’t have to work on it next fall. Seniors struggle with managing the timeline of college applications. If a senior is having trouble with their essay, they can always go to the Literacy Center or ask their English teacher for help. Seniors get very nervous about not getting accepted at schools they want to go to. It can also be stressful for seniors to remember each step of the process. Making written lists or checking in with your school counselor can help you keep track of everything!”. 

     Something you want to also know is what a major and a minor is. A major is a specific subject you specialize in while getting your degree. A minor is a “mini major”, basically not your main focus, but something that you are interested in and want to learn about on the side.

     You also want to know and get an idea of what school you want to go to so you can meet the requirements you are gonna need to get into that school and to see if they have what you need to get what you want in your future. Most schools require SAT or ACT scores in order so you’re gonna want to take a look at that. But it is ok if you didn’t meet the score requirement. 

     Western Connecticut State University student Jordan Deh shares her experience. “The advice I will give is don’t give up when things get hard. Sometimes you are going to face things which might seem impossible to get through but if you really want it then you will be able to achieve it. I asked a lot of people what to do and seeked out advice for people who already went through this. A challenge that I wish I could have prepared myself for is the realness.”

     Scholarships will help you a lot in the long run in college. Scholarships are an award of financial aid that will help pay for your college education. Every scholarship rewards you with different ranges of money. You can get a scholarship from a lot of things like sports, activities, something you want to major in, a family that was in the military/ army, and a lot more. 

     Look at how much tuition is. Tuition is the overall cost for one semester of classes and can increase if you take more classes. Tuition varies from school to school, for example if you are attending a school out of your state it might cost more than if you were in state. You are going to want to look at the cost of tuition, room and board, and a meal plan to see if that’s in your personal range. 

     Nia Mayo, a former student of Jonathan Law and current student at Fairleigh Dickinson University offers some advice.

      “It is ok if you don’t know exactly what you want to do and it is ok to explore your options and take time to really know what you want. Also take it easy freshman year of college. I did research about my school and the courses I need to take. I also looked at the syllabus my teachers gave me to be prepared. Some challenge was the textbooks so I can make sure it was the right one and if it was needed. Also work on time management”

     Applying, starting, and preparing for college is not an easy nor short process. At the end it will be worth it all when you are at a good place in life.