College Admissions Help Blog

Have you heard your high school guidance counselors and parents telling you to consider whether or not a college on your list is the right “fit”? Well if they aren’t saying this to you, we’re saying it to you now! If you are getting ready to apply to college this year, check out the 3 steps to applying to college on HowToGetIn.com.

The college admissions process, while it has deadlines and some tricky decisions along the way, is straight forward. You need to do some research, pick some schools, and apply to college. The “pick some schools” part is where you will have to assess a school’s fit with your goals, values, grades and college budget.

When you are applying to college you should be considering fit at a variety of schools that will give you the best chances for success. Colleges you can get into, that you aspire to, and that are a good fit for you academically. (Read more about Reach, Target and Safety schools.) Even a school with the best reputation in the country, like Harvard University, it isn’t the right fit for the social bee perhaps, or an aspiring artist. (more…)

With September now underway, it’s back to the grind, and that includes planning for college. Once you get back into the swing of school, homework, and extracurriculars, you should take some time to continue (or start) your college plan. Preparing for college is a year round task, and here are some things you should think about as you begin a new school year.

Freshmen

September is a busy month, for Freshmen especially. You have the added stress of finding your way around new hallways packed with new faces and getting acclimated to a new school climate. However, there are still some steps you can take to start your college prep plan.

• Befriend your guidance counselor – Adjusting to a new school can be a challenge, so seek help from your guidance counselor now, that way, when it’s time to seek their advice on college, you’ll already have developed a rapport with them!
• Talk to your parents – Paying for college is tough, so the sooner you talk to your parents about how to do this the better. That way, you can put a little money aside from your summer job if you know you’ll need it in the future!

Sophomores

• Register for the PSAT or PLAN tests – Sophomore year you will want to (well, maybe not want) but should register for practice tests. Taking a practice SAT or ACT test can help students prepare better for the real tests by finding the areas where you may need to work a little harder. Tests usually take place in October or November, so make sure you register on time to avoid a late fee.
• Research some colleges – Just because it’s a few years away, you should still take some time to do a little college research. Ask family and friends why they went to the schools they did. Was it the size? Location? Cost? Getting a little background from friends and family can help you to eventually narrow your college list.

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