Senior year is the best time to be on the lookout for great college opportunities for you. With the summer fast approaching, you want to do all you can to get to the best college, get a good scholarship and have the summer after your high school all for yourself. You’ll need the peace of mind since freshman year in college is as exciting as it gets.
First Comes a List – A Shortlist
Make a list of all colleges that you would like to apply to. Consider your wishes: what program you want to study and what you wish your future major to be. The next thing to consider is what are some factors that can also determine if you will be applying to a college or not. The distance from your hometown, the cost, scholarship possibilities, and classes they offer should all be considered. Take all of these into consideration and make a shortlist. It should not be too short, though, nor too long: be careful because you will still need to do a lot of research to come down to the colleges you’ll be applying to.
Prioritize
The next thing to do is put your shortlist aside. Take some time to think about your needs and wants. Make a list of them and see how each college can provide for those. Cross out any colleges that do not match your expectations. Understand that too much work is not going to do you any good. College life is strenuous as it is, so you may consider checking out TopWritersReview to have a helping hand during your college application.
Understand Your College Life even Before it Begins
Understand that choosing the right college this year is what will dictate your life over the next four years. It may seem easy to choose what a friend has recommended to you, but beware that the classes you will be listening to, the people you will hang out with, and so much more depend on making the right choices now. Sure, Harvard and Yale sound amazing, but the headaches begin when your schedule is full, and you just want to say edit my paper and be over with the fifth correction in a row.
Consider the Expenses
College tuition fees vary greatly from coast to coast and from one city to the next. There are also states which offer free education through community colleges. Bear this in mind while making your long-term plans. You want to get a degree, but if you want a degree in arts from $60.000/year, ask yourself if it pays off? Arts are great, but think about employment possibilities, especially if you do not have an entrepreneurial mind. Understand how choosing the right major can lead to more success and less college debt.
Think about Scholarships
An average school year at Harvard costs some $60.000. The average student, however, pays a little above $2.000. This is thanks to all the scholarships and alumni helping out new and prospective students. Understand the need to start thinking early about these, since the recent events have brought about changes in college application in the UK. Consider this and the financing option each college offers. Talk to the representatives, send out emails, or look for online blogs to help yourself find the right college this year.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best possible college is not an easy task. Follow the advice we gave and find the best place for you. Think straight and think ahead, and start working on it early: most colleges accept application submissions until the end of January.
Christian Duke
Christian Duke is a gamer and a writer. He puts the two together by focusing on what they have in common: good storylines. He hopes to establish a writing online consultation service and help people develop ways to put their storylines on paper.