Applying for college can be a difficult thing to go through unless you plan ahead. With the school year just around the corner, both parents and students are cringing at the thought of the stress that comes along with college applications.
But there is no need to fret when you've got your game plan together. When it comes to navigating the college application process, there are four fundamental things that every application will require: Grades, test scores, a personal statement and letters of recommendation.
There is nothing new or surprising about this list. It's been this way for a very long time.
Trouble and stress only rear their ugly heads when one waits till the last possible moment to get these four things organized and under control. The ideal time to begin planning for college is before your child is even in high school.
Make college a priority from a very young age. Think kindergarten, maybe even preschool.
The younger your children start thinking about college as a goal, the more likely they are to take their college applications seriously when they are older. However, if your children are getting ready to enter their junior or senior year of high school, there still may be some hope.
The most important thing to do at this point is to discuss with your children what schools they realistically would like to attend. From there, visit each school's Web site and find out the average GPA and SAT/ACT scores of the students that were accepted.
Take an honest look at your child's scores and grades. Compare the two. Then ask yourself, “Is applying to this college realistic?”
Continue doing this until you have a list of six to 10 colleges that your child would feel comfortable attending. Believe it or not, that is the hardest part of the college application process.
The secret to applying to colleges successfully is to apply to those that will facilitate your child's interests and academic abilities. The only way to determine this accurately is by carefully researching and visiting each college.
For more information, call (760) 918-5600 or visit www.mykindofcollege.com.
But there is no need to fret when you've got your game plan together. When it comes to navigating the college application process, there are four fundamental things that every application will require: Grades, test scores, a personal statement and letters of recommendation.
There is nothing new or surprising about this list. It's been this way for a very long time.
Trouble and stress only rear their ugly heads when one waits till the last possible moment to get these four things organized and under control. The ideal time to begin planning for college is before your child is even in high school.
Make college a priority from a very young age. Think kindergarten, maybe even preschool.
The younger your children start thinking about college as a goal, the more likely they are to take their college applications seriously when they are older. However, if your children are getting ready to enter their junior or senior year of high school, there still may be some hope.
The most important thing to do at this point is to discuss with your children what schools they realistically would like to attend. From there, visit each school's Web site and find out the average GPA and SAT/ACT scores of the students that were accepted.
Take an honest look at your child's scores and grades. Compare the two. Then ask yourself, “Is applying to this college realistic?”
Continue doing this until you have a list of six to 10 colleges that your child would feel comfortable attending. Believe it or not, that is the hardest part of the college application process.
The secret to applying to colleges successfully is to apply to those that will facilitate your child's interests and academic abilities. The only way to determine this accurately is by carefully researching and visiting each college.
For more information, call (760) 918-5600 or visit www.mykindofcollege.com.