During the students senior year, virtually everything seems to be coming down on their heads. College is only a year away, and real life is not far behind that. Trying to organize your time and efforts during your senior year is one of the toughest parts of high school. Where college educations are concerned, there are a number of different things you can do to ease the road for yourself. Here are some things to consider trying, and some things to avoid as well:
1. Consider skipping the part time job if that is an option for you. With all the things needed to get into college, your senior year grades are the most vital part of your focus. If your parents are willing to understand, avoid the jobs till college is secured and you have been accepted.
2. When looking for the right college, make sure you talk to your friends and relatives who have been down the road you are on. They are great fountains of information about the ins and outs of particular colleges and what it takes to get in.
3. Concentrate hard on getting all applications in before November. This will allow you to be focused on grades and give you plenty of time to make a decision when acceptance letters come in.
4. Any colleges that offer an early admission process and fits your needs should be taken advantage of. Get any early applications done and sent off as early as allowed. This might get you some quick acceptances and take the pressure off your number one and two options.
5. Make sure that you utilize the experience and knowledge that your High School Guidance counselor can give you. They are the best ally you have in your applications for college, and often help you out long after you have graduated college. Make them your best friend.
6. Hold off on visiting campuses until you have already been accepted. Nothing is more frustrating than to fall in love with a campus and then not get in. Get in first, and then visit the ones that accepted you.
7. Spend plenty of time looking into the fringe benefits. These include housing, job opportunities while attending college, things to do in the off hours, and extra curricular activities. All of these things play a part in the college experience.
8. Remember that steady is much better than rushed when it comes to applications. Be accurate, neat, and treat each one as though it is a test……because it is.
