If there were a college guide to help graduating high school students prepare for the application process - what would it contain? The guide would, more than likely, contain information on the application process, pre-college classes, extracurricular activities and college requirement research. Here is that essential college guide offering tips on how to get into college. * Know the school before you apply. It is important to know the school and the requirements for that college before sending in the application. Students can begin their research as early as their 9th or 10th grade year. While this seems early - some of the requirements (like two years of a foreign language) will take some time to complete. * Find out what classes you HAVE to take. There is nothing worse than graduating high school with a 3.0 or above and applying to your favorite college only to find out there are classes you should have taken along the way in order to qualify. The high school counselor is supposed to help with these requirements but with high school attendance numbers in the thousands in some schools - there are a lot of college apps to cover. * Do I need extracurricular activities? Not if they are going to hamper your grade point average. The key is to find a healthy balance between those extracurricular and the GPA. If you are in three or four sports and carry a 2.0 it might not be as impressive as competing in 2 sports and carrying a 3.0 or above. Think about the whole picture and choose from there. It is also important to note that church activities and activities not sponsored by the school system can also be counted as extracurricular. * Know the application process and deadlines. There is a unique application process to every college in the United State and abroad. These application processes include the deadlines for submitting an application. If the deadline has passed - the college has the right to refuse the application. With applications to college on the rise it is better to get that application in early rather than late. * The FAFSA. This is the most important document a high school student -and their parents - will ever fill out. Without the Free Applications For Federal Student Aid there are no scholarships, college loans, Pell Grants or any financial aid at all. The FAFSA guidelines are available online from the fafsa.ed.gov website. Getting into college can be one of the most exciting times in life. High school is over - young adult life is beginning and mom and dad are out of the picture. This dream cannot come true if the high school student is not accepted into college. A college guide is something to print out - keep in the locker at school, on the desk at home and on the fridge for all to see. Keep checking these tips and keeping planning on the best career for you.
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