Don't look now, but if you're a high school sophomore, you only have about a year before you have to seriously buckle down and start visiting colleges and applying for admission.
It's not too early to begin your college search. It's a decision that will affect the rest of your life, so give it as much time as you can.
- Start investigating yourself. What do you like to do? What career might match those interests? What do you need to study to enter that field?
- Make yourself more "marketable." Take more challenging courses, AP if you can. Add some extracurricular activities. Run for student office. Take on some volunteer work or a community service project.
- Make a list of what you need to know to pick a college. What's most important in making your choice: Academic programs? Location? Size? Price? You can start checking out colleges online.
- Visit with your guidance counselor. Your high school guidance office has resources that can help you. Ask about taking some practice entrance tests (like PLAN®).
- Start checking out colleges. Talk to teachers and other students about colleges that offer the types of programs you are considering. Use the internet to find out about colleges. And attend college nights at your high school or area college fairs.
- Research scholarships. By checking out the requirements for various scholarships now, you can make sure that you meet the criteria when it's time to apply.
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