Introduction
So, you know you want to go to college. What an exciting and daunting
proposition that can be. First and foremost, you should remember that
there are more than 3500 colleges and universities in the United States
alone. There is definitely at least one out there that will be the
perfect match for you. The "right college for you" is a very important
concept. Finding that perfect match has everything to do with YOU. This
is a process that is all about maximizing your future. Explore,
investigate, question and contemplate. And, don’t forget to have some
fun too. The College and Career Center has a software program called
COIN, that is a comprehensive database of over 3000 colleges, which
students can search by criteria such as, majors, location, size of
school, sports programs, etc.
Know yourself
Before you can figure out if a school is a good match for you, you need
to understand who you are, how you learn, what your priorities are, and
what your goals are. In other words, you need to know you. Connect to
our Know Yourself page to learn more
about the things to think about.
Career Planning and Placement
Many students, and their parents, want to know what they are going to
study before they choose a college. While this is certainly a helpful
bit of knowledge to have, remember that 75% to 80% of students change
their major at least once while in college. If you would like to
explore different careers and the majors that prepare you for those
careers, go to our Career Websites page now.
Key Questions
With more than 3500 colleges and universities in the country, there are
a lot of options to explore. If you have no ideas on schools that are
interesting to you, then try answering these two questions to get
yourself started.
How far from home do you want to be?
What size school do you want?
Creating a List
Once you have the two questions above answered you are ready to begin
exploring your options. Go to Factors to
Consider for the next step.
Managing the process
Wow! There is a lot of paperwork to all of this isn’t there!? There are
also all kinds of deadlines, procedures and processes that you need. Go
to Managing the Process to break all
of this down into manageable elements.
Applying for Admission
Okay, now you are ready to apply for admission. Don’t let the process
overwhelm you. All you need is time and organization. Check out All that Writing to get started.
Paying for College
You’ve applied, you’ve been admitted, now you need to figure out how
you are going to pay for college. Go to Financing
Your Education to get started.
Other things to consider:
Look at types of institutions - liberal arts, universities,
technical/trade and industrial schools, 2-year colleges.
Look at factors, such as size,
location,
programs, costs, test requirements, academic requirements,
affiliations, social aspects, athletics.
Be aware of how colleges look at
you -
school record, rank in class, scholastic aptitude, extra-curricular
activities, recommendations, interviews, and volunteer work.
Write colleges for additional,
specific,
current literature and application forms necessary for admissions,
making sure you are aware of individual admissions procedures and
deadlines. Applications for many colleges are now available thru the
following programs: CX-Online and college search programs.
Meet with college representatives
who
visit
El Molino. Admissions representatives from a wide variety of
universities and colleges usually visit in the fall. These visits are
publicized in the Daily Bulletin, calendars in the Career Center and
the senior bulletin board inside the library. Seniors and juniors are
welcome to meet with representatives provided you obtain permission
from your classroom teacher and sign up in the Career Center prior to
the visit. These visits provide a valuable opportunity to learn first
hand about the schools program of study, special open house
opportunties, costs, financial aid, admissions requirements and
facilities of schools. These
are usually admissions officers and may be the person reviewing your
application when you apply. It is good to have contact with them.
Plan visits to several colleges of your choice. We
suggest
this be done while classes are in session, preferably in the spring of
your junior year or the fall of the senior year. The visits help you
learn what college admissions people expect, help you absorb something
of the atmosphere of the college, allow you to talk with students, and
observe the community in which the school is located.
Register to take required test SAT I: Reasoning
Test, SAT
II:
Subject Test, ACT, or TOFEL if English is not your native language and
you have been in the US less than five years.
Complete application, following directions and
deadlines
carefully.
Carefully read instructions regarding preparation of transcripts and
recommendations. All schools require transcripts which are copies of
your high school record - starting form grade 9 and test scores. Some
schools require recommendations from teachers and/or counselors. You
must contact your couselor for your official transcript. You must contact the teachers from whom you want recommendations, making
sure to allow plenty of time to meet deadlines.
Look into financing your higher education. Review available scholarship guides and other information found on this website and in the College and Career Center and on the Scholarship Board. Your Free Application for Federal Student Aid ( FAFSA) must be filed before March 2nd each year you are in college. You must complete the FAFSA to be eligible for state and federally-funded financial aid programs and scholarships. Several private college and universities might also require the CSS/Profile. Go to collegeboard.org select CSS/Profile for a list of participating institutions.