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Preparing for an Education |
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Applying for college is not easy. Students and Families should begin researching schools within the student’s junior year and also begin preparing for standardized testing. You can never start too early in this process! But it is also never too late!
Standardized Testing
Colleges and Universities have different standardized testing requirements. Many schools only accept the SAT while some schools will accept either the ACT or SAT. It is standard practice for a school to take the highest combination of test scores from different test dates.
PSAT: A practice test designed to give students an understanding of SAT questions and scoring. These test scores not are shared with Colleges. This test should be taken in either sophomore or junior year.
SAT: The SAT is required by most Colleges and tests a student’s critical reading ability, mathematical reasoning ability, and writing skills. The SAT takes a student three and a half hours to complete and contains primarily multiple choice and essay questions. This test should be taken in junior and/or senior year.
PLAN: A practice test designed to give students an understanding of ACT questions and to provide an assessment of the student's career and study interests.
ACT: The ACT is a three and a half hour college admissions examination that contains an English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning section. This test also provides students with an optional writing section called ACT PLUS Writing.
Please contact your high school counseling office for more information regarding how to register for these tests and to determine the dates these tests are being offered in your area.
Choosing the Right College
Today there are almost 10,000 colleges and universities in the United States, so there is the perfect school available for every student. To begin this process, each student should ask themselves these questions:
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Where do I want to go to college? |
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What areas of study am I interested in? |
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What activities outside of the classroom do I want to participate in? |
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What size school do I want to attend? |
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What kind of setting do I want to attend college in (urban, rural, etc.)? |
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Do I want to attend a four or two-year college? A Vocational School?
A private or public school?
A school with a religious affiliate?
Single-sexed? |
The Internet is the best way to begin to research colleges across the country. After conducting research on the Internet, talk to your college adviser, and then meet with College representatives during a College fair or a College visit.
Applying to College
After taking your Standardized Test and deciding which colleges are right for you, it is time to begin applying to a handful of colleges you would be interested in attending. Begin by choosing at least three schools to apply to; a Reach School, a Probable School, and a Safety School. After narrowing down your college list you can begin your application process.
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Receive copies of college application forms and write down the deadlines for each school |
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Write a required essay for each school |
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Start asking school faculty and community leaders for a letter of recommendation |
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Complete your application and send a copy to each school |
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Have your High School send a latest transcript of your grades to each desired college |
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Sit back and wait for a response from your desired colleges |
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After being accepted from a few schools, decide which school is your perfect fit, and return your acceptance letter! If you were not accepted to any college, consult your high school counselor and apply to more schools as soon as possible. |
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This webpage was designed to assist Hispanic/Latino students, who are seeking financial aid, pay for their college education with grants, scholarships, and loans (both Federal Stafford and private). We provide a full guide of financial tools which can be used to determine your options in paying for college. |
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