Tips on How to Prepare for College

High school is the best part of any student’s life. It is the time where life is much simpler, and stress is a whole lot less. But high school is also the time you prepare for your next big adventure—college.

Moving from high school to college can be a big transition for students. College is an important investment as it gives you a stepping stone for your adult life. The amount of time and effort you spend preparing for college can ease the transition and help you get more out of the experience. In this article, you will learn useful tips on how you can prepare for college.

End your junior year strong

Aim for the best grades you can get in all your classes. While not all counselors will agree that your junior grades are important for your college admission, it is still important to end the year strong. When you are applying to colleges in the fall, the second semester of junior year will be the final grades you will report at the time of the application submission, so make sure that your grades will work in your favor.

Choose your senior classes wisely

College admissions officers want to see students challenge themselves in their academic choices rather than taking the easy way out. Enroll in challenging academic classes even if you are not required to take them.

Know your counselor

Many colleges want to see a counselor recommendation letter, so take time and check in with your counselor. Spending some time to know them will also allow your counselors to know you personally which will be of help when they start writing your recommendation letter. Plus, your school counselor will also be a great resource for questions about colleges and college admissions strategies.

Continue preparing for the SAT or ACT

A few SAT and ACT test dates are available before you submit your college applications. Preparing as early as your junior year will give you an advantage in acing them. Standardized tests are not like the tests you take in school. Preparation can make a huge difference!

Start updating your resume

Don’t be afraid to “brag” about your accomplishments if they are true! Make a list of your extracurricular activities, volunteer work, and other accomplishments. Doing this as early as your junior year can help you determine if you need to do more as you head into your senior year.

Connect with colleges

Learn everything you can about the colleges you are considering. Join their mailing lists, follow their social media accounts, or even attend college nights or college fairs. These are all great opportunities to learn about colleges and talk to college representatives.

Apply for scholarships

College is one of the greater investments you can make for your future and your future generations to come, but it is oftentimes expensive and the debt can be a deterrent to going or even applying. Applying for scholarships as early as possible so you can graduate with the least amount of debt possible makes your college investment worthwhile.

We would love to help you jumpstart your scholarship search. Five seniors will have the chance to receive a $1000 scholarship with our Steinberg Law Firm 2020 Scholarship. Students can begin submitting entries from January 14, 2020, until April 6, 2020. 

Visit colleges

Make plans to visit colleges that interest you. College visits are probably one of the most important parts of the college search because it is the only way you will know for sure if the college feels right for you.

Going to college can be one of the most exciting times in a young adult’s life. Transitioning from high school to college can be nerve-racking, but all these can be avoided if you prepare as early as you can.