Give Yourself Time to Explore
With over 3,600 colleges and universities
across the country, you will quickly discover lots of
options. Some are well-known. Others are new to you. You
don't need to get to know them all. However, in order
to make a reasonable search you need to give yourself
time.
The best time to start the college
search process is the middle of your high school junior
year. It's okay to begin collecting information prior
to that but be prepared for fairly light treatment by
colleges. On the other hand, don't put off the start of
your college search. The longer you wait before getting
started, the more you compromise your ability to get good
answers to important questions, gain access to resources,
and present yourself effectively.
Getting Organized
Get ready for the avalanche!
If it hasn't hit you already, the avalanche of mail
(much of it unsolicited) from colleges will arrive soon.
At first, you will be impressed that colleges around the
country find you highly desirable. Such feelings of satisfaction
will soon be replaced by growing annoyance and questions
such as: "How did they get my name?" "Why are they mailing
to me?" "Are they really interested?" "When will it stop?!"
Amidst the avalanche, there will be materials from colleges
that may be of real interest to you. It is important to
be systematic in your review of these materials. Develop
a spreadsheet. Organize them by content, point of origin,
and date received. Look for opportunities to cross-reference
information you are receiving directly from the colleges
with data from independent sources such as handbooks and
websites.
Finally, become engaged with the colleges you really
like. You'll be surprised at what you can learn about
them as they try to become acquainted with you.
Campus Visit
Let your "gut" go to work for
you
Late in your senior year, you will begin to feel like
a celebrity as people congratulate you on your college
enrollment.
Invariably, they will follow their good wishes with the
question: "So, what made you decide to enroll at _________?
At first, you may be dumbfounded. Then, you will likely
respond with: "I don't know. It really came down to a
gut feeling." What a remarkably honest and insightful
response!
As you get to know colleges, it will be important for
you to visit the campuses of those that seem most interesting
to you. When you do, give yourself the time and opportunity
to immerse yourself in the campus culture. Let your instincts
take over; develop a feeling for the place. This is when
your "gut" begins to work for you.
As you contemplate campus visits, develop an agenda that
includes the things you would like to accomplish. Interview.
Take a tour. Visit a class. Keep in mind, the more perspectives
you can tap into while on campus, the more discriminating
you can be later when the choice is yours.
Course Selections
What do your course selections say about your passion
for learning?
You will learn quickly that your performance in high
school weighs heavily when your application is eventually
considered for admission. Colleges like to see that you
use each year of high school to stretch yourself academically
and intellectually. They like to see that you care about
learning, that you move to the next logical level of rigor
each year. Treat each year as though it's the "most important
year" by putting yourself in an appropriately rigorous
program-and doing well in it. The most selective colleges
will focus on the effort you put forth in the senior year.
For many students, this revelation hits them at a time
when they can no longer make adjustments in their course
selections. That's why it it important to think about
the message you are sending to colleges when you choose
your curriculum for the senior year.
Watch for upcoming issues of TAG E-News
to learn more about First Steps!
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