How to Prepare for College While in High School

When getting ready to attend a higher education institute, it might be challenging to know how to prepare and get ready. It might seem like there are too many things to do. However, finding ways to prepare and gaining some insight into what to expect can help you be better prepared.

Look for Financial Aid and Scholarships

One of the first things to do is to look for scholarships. While scholarships are especially free money toward your college tuition, you might be surprised at how few students actually take advantage of them. Applying for these through Going Merry scholarships is a great way to make higher education more affordable. Entering in your interests, extracurriculars, and GPA will help you be matched to the most relevant scholarships. You may be required to fill out an application, write an essay, create a video, or meet other requirements. Depending on the value of the scholarship, you can offset the remaining costs with student loans with favorable interest rates that you don’t have to start paying back until after graduation.         

Looking Over the Campuses

Visiting the campus can help you make a more informed decision about whether a school is right for you. That’s because there is so much variety in campuses. Some are large, and you might need a bus to get from one end to another. On the other hand, others might be small enough that you can walk from one end to the other in a matter of minutes. Some urban schools might not have large campuses either, and you might be able to live off campus and take public transportation to campus.

There are both in person and virtual tours available, depending on how close you live to the school and whether they are offering in person tours. Either option allows you to ask better questions, explore the dining hall, dorms, academic buildings, student centers, and any other relevant spaces. If you are signed up for an interview, you can combine a tour with the interview. Not every school offers or requires interviews, but they are helpful when it comes to learning more and finding out whether you will be accepted into the program.

Doing Prep with a High School Counselor

You counselor is a great resource when it comes to preparing for and making decisions about colleges. That’s partly because applying for colleges is such a big job. A guidance counselor is familiar with the process and can help you along the way. They can also help suggest academic paths based on your interests and what you want to major in. They can even be helpful in getting you scholarships.

Your guidance counselor might recommend you take the ACT or SAT, depending on whether your desired colleges require this. There are often test prep classes that go over some of the basics that these tests require of you, and your counselor can recommend the right courses and let you know if these might be for you. Depending on your strengths, they might suggest you just review specific subjects that you find to be more challenging.

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