Brainstorm: What do YOU want in a college? – This is great place to start if you are still unsure about what colleges to consider. Think about your preferences on the cost, location, size, academic rigor, the party scene, social life, athletics and the campus of a college. After brainstorming, you can discover which colleges cater most to your needs and proceed from there. Websites such as usnews.com offer databases of colleges that may also prove helpful.

But be sure to keep in mind that college isn’t for everyone, and that’s perfectly okay! Trade schools and apprenticeships lead to excellent, good paying careers as well. What’s important is finding the right fit for you.

(Also, DO NOT choose a college only because your friends are going there. Friends come and go, but your diploma stays with you for the rest of your life.)

Circle key dates on your calendar – Depending on which colleges you have applied to or will apply to, the day that you find out whether you were accepted or rejected to a school will vary. Some colleges operate through rolling decision, meaning that decisions will be released ASAP. Other schools, typically those that are more selective, have set dates and times when notifications are sent. Remember the key dates for your schools and proceed from there.

Read up on college reviews – Whether or not you have decided on a school or not, reading up on online college reviews can be very useful (such as those on niche.com). These are great resources to help discover if a college is right for you and what to expect. Often these reviews give insight that the colleges themselves would never share while recruiting you. However, it’s important that you read these critically. Reviews can sometimes be overly biased. It’s also important to remember that just because one student may have had an amazing or awful experience at a school doesn’t mean that you will too.  

Take a college visit – This is perhaps the best way to learn about a college. Considering MHS offers excused absences in order to take college visits, what are you waiting for? Visiting a college allows you to become familiar with the area, meet students and faculty, take a guided tour through many campus buildings, peek in on classes, stay overnight in a dorm and experience life as a student. If you are an athlete, this is also a great opportunity to chat with coaches and explore the facilities. Keep an eye out for college open house dates as well.

Find ways to save money – This is an important step for many students hoping to limit the burden of student debt. Take advantage of scholarships! Luckily for you, we’ve generously provided a list of where to find them. Secondly, don’t slack off in your AP classes! Since colleges pay little attention to second semester grades, it’s easy to let grades slide. However, performing well in the classroom will often translate to a good AP score, which can save you hundreds of dollars in college tuition. Finally, acquire a summer job. Even though high schoolers usually get paid very little over the minimum wage, a little bit of money goes a long way if you choose to save up. Also, check with your prospective college to see if it offers work-study. These programs offer work to students on campus during the semester. Often these jobs provide generous pay and offer flexible schedules.

Take Care of Enrollment Steps – Once you’ve finally committed to a college, it is time to apply the finishing touches. Inform your school of choice that you’ve committed by putting down the required deposit money. Next, register for housing and classes ASAP. Some schools determine these things on a first-come first-served basis, so it’s important not to procrastinate. Finally, write down the dates of orientation and the first day of class. If you are attending a school out of state, it’s best to have travel arrangements for the fall planned sooner than later.

Acquire good habits/skills – Compared to high school, college is an entirely different animal. Not only will you be expected to do more assignments for your classes, but you will need to balance those with newly acquired adult responsibilities as well. In order to prep for this new lifestyle, you can do many things. First of all, train yourself to stop procrastinating. You can get away with procrastination in high school, but in college, it will be disastrous. Just ask your college friends! Start performing more chores and errands around the house. Yes, these tasks sound boring, but it’s best to learn these skills now rather than later. Lastly, soak up advice from your parents while you still can. They won’t be around to take care of things for you while you are away at college.