Planning+for+College



http://www.howtogetin.com/colleges/search/ (link above to the picture)

**Instructions: (Difficulty:** Moderately challenging)

To get into a top college or university:

> Work closely with your high-school guidance office. The counselors can help you get into the right classes, pick <span style="background-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-color: #006400 !important; border-bottom-style: solid !important; border-bottom-width: 0.075em !important; border-top-style: none; bottom: auto; color: #006400 !important; cursor: pointer; display: block; float: none; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal !important; left: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static !important; right: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline !important; top: auto; vertical-align: baseline;">colleges and chart your course of action. They also write recommendations and communicate with colleges about applications. See also 149 Decide Which [|College] Is Right for You and 152 Organize Your <span style="background-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-color: #006400 !important; border-bottom-style: solid !important; border-bottom-width: 0.075em !important; border-top-style: none; bottom: auto; color: #006400 !important; cursor: pointer; display: block; float: none; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal !important; left: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static !important; right: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline !important; top: auto; vertical-align: baseline;">College Applications. > > > > > > > > > > > >
 * 1
 * 2 Hire a private college admissions counselor if you feel you need extra guidance. Applying to college is a lot of work with a bewildering number of options. An expert helps both students and parents sort through it all, something that over-extended highschool counselors may not have the time or resources to do. He or she will make qualified recommendations based your interests, grades and test scores. Contact the Independent Educational Consultants Association (educationalconsulting.org) to find one in your area. If you hire an adviser, be aware that colleges will still direct their questions to your high-school guidance office.
 * 3 Plan out your classes. Ask your guidance counselor to recommend required and elective courses, and the order in which you should take them. For instance, you may need to take geometry as a freshman if you want to advance to calculus by your senior year.
 * 4 Attend summer school to get prerequisite classes if you didn't plan early enough. Admissions officers like students who work hard to catch up. See 280 Choose a Summer Study Program.
 * 5 <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Take the most challenging course work you can, including advanced placement classes (for which you get college credits). Many admissions officers would rather see you tackle a harder <span style="background-color: transparent !important; border-bottom-color: #006400 !important; border-bottom-style: solid !important; border-bottom-width: 0.075em !important; border-top-style: none; bottom: auto; color: #006400 !important; cursor: pointer; display: block; float: none; font-family: inherit !important; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: normal !important; left: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 1px !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: static !important; right: auto; text-align: left; text-decoration: underline !important; top: auto; vertical-align: baseline;">class than settle for an easy one just to get a high grade, and they look for trends in grades, as well as class rank. At the same time, don't set yourself up for failure by signing up for too many tough classes.
 * <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">6 <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Nail your PSATs, SATs and ACT exams. See 151 Ace the College Admissions Tests.
 * <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">7 <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Explain yourself if you've scored low on the tests but have a high GPA. Ask your teachers to address the issue in their letters of recommendation. They should stress that your grades are well deserved, and you should do the same in your admissions essay.
 * <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">8 <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Get involved in extracurricular activities in your school and community. The number of activities isn't important--admissions committees look for depth rather than breadth.
 * <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">9 <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Stay committed to your activities. Begin as a Cub Scout, for instance, and progress on to Eagle Scout. If you can, work your way up to a leadership role--become the editor of the school paper, head church projects or run for class office.
 * <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">10 <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Develop a theme that runs through your high-school activities. For instance, if you love art, take painting classes, become a museum docent and volunteer to teach art at an elementary school. Refer to this theme in your application's essay.
 * <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">11 <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Plan your summer with college in mind. It looks good to be active and constructive even when you're not in school. Find a camp or college class that fits in with your theme. If you have to pump gas over the summer, turn it into something creative-- help improve customer service, for example.
 * <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="display: block; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">12 <span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">Get to know key people at the college you want to attend. Follow through with the college representative who comes to your high school, introduce yourself to a coach or professor and meet an admissions officer.

<span style="border: 0px initial initial; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"> Read more: <span style="border: 0px initial initial; color: #003399; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">[|How to Get Into a Top College or University | eHow.com] []

Additional Websites:

http://www.college.gov/wps/portal

http://www.colleges.com/

http://www.college-scholarships.com/

<span style="color: #003399; cursor: pointer; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; font-style: inherit; font-weight: inherit; margin: 0px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: initial; outline-width: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">http://www.collegeboard.com/