by Cheslea Carlson

Whether you are just beginning your college hunt as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or possibly (gulp) senior or putting the finishing touches on your selection, its clear that the road from high school to college is both rocky and uncharted for many students today. As a senior who has undergone a lot of research on the topic of the college choice, I have crafted a handy guide for all ages and levels of college searching in order to help out future generations.

FRESHMEN
I know, I know, you’re a freshman, but trust me when I tell you that college is just not that far away. There are some things you can do to make your life easier in the future. First, create a document or buy a journal and start recording awards you win, extracurricular activities and leadership positions, volunteering hours, and anything else that might interest colleges. Make sure you keep this up to date, recording phone numbers of people who might writea nice letter of recommendation. Next, while it may be too soon to pick schools that interest you, it is not too soon to decide generally what type of school you would like to attend. If it requires four years of a language, you obviously need to start that now. You don’t need to decide anything definite, but be sure you know the general level of school you are interested in. When choosing your classes, err on the side of caution though, it is better to take too many classes than not enough! Finally, join lots of extracurricular activities and clubs! You will not only meet lots of new people but you could also find something you are really interested in. It can be scary, especially if your middle school friends don’t seem interested, but jump in! High school should be a time to try new things, and colleges, by the way, love students trying new things!

SOPHOMORES
It’s still a little early to be too concerned about choosing a particular college, but it isn’t too early to ask your parents to pull over when you are passing a college on a road trip, or talking to your older friends about their college experience. In the fall be sure to take the PSAT to get a sense of the standardized tests you will soon take. This is an inexpensive opportunity to get a hands on look at the test which will determine so much in years to come. While the PSAT is normally for juniors, you can take it as a sophomore to gain standardized test experience. Be sure to buy a college guide book or check out a website like Collegeprowler and start reading through the descriptions. If you start tagging those colleges that interest you now, it will be much easier to make a list in the years to come. Also, just reading through the descriptions of schools will give you a better idea what is important to you in a college, so read up and whether it is a matter of academic rigor, closeness to home, or athletic prowess the things that are most important to you will become obvious almost immediately. Finally, make sure you get to know your counselor! They will have to write a letter of recommendation for you in a couple years, so be sure to go in and acquaint yourself with them.

JUNIORS
Now it’s time to get down to business. This is the year that really counts, so make some decisions and be sure to keep your grades up! In the fall you need to take the PSAT (hopefully for the second time) and make sure you do your best since this is the test that could qualify you for the National Merit Scholarship. Next, it is finally time to compile your list of 10-20 schools with a variety of admissions requirements. Be sure to include at least one state school and a few schools that just capture your heart, even if they are a little statistically unrealistic. It’s also time to start thinking about teachers that could write you a letter of recommendation. Build strong relationships with a few of your teachers, they will give colleges an insight into your style as a student is. In the spring, take the ACT, SAT, and/or the SAT subject tests, depending on the most stringent schools on your list. If your schools will take either the ACT or the SAT, take both and submit your highest score, it doesn’t hurt to take both. Finally, visit as many of the colleges on your list as possible, be sure to call or e-mail ahead in order to set up a time to meet with an admissions counselor and go on a campus tour.

SENIORS
Don’t freak out! There is a lot to do, but if you stay focused it is possible to make it through this year with limited stress. Now it’s time to make a final list of 5-10 colleges. Be sure to include a safety school like one of the state universities or one of the Western Undergraduate Exchange (WUE) universities. Next, request your letters of recommendation from both your counselor and as many teachers as your schools require. Be sure to ask nicely, they are going to speak directly to your college about you, and no, you don’t get to read it before they send it! Next, write your essays and be sure to have a couple English teachers read over it. Silly punctuation and grammar mistakes are a dead giveaway for colleges that you aren’t a serious applicant. Visit any schools left on your list if you can! A campus visit is the best way to see if a school is a good match for you. All the glossy brochures in the world can barely put a candle to 5 minutes on a campus! As you will know by this point in your college search school is expensive, which is why it’s time to look for scholarships! Try out sites like Cappex, Zinch, and Fast Web in order to find scholarships that fit you! Also, don’t forget to apply for school specific scholarships. Many colleges have a slew of merit and need based scholarships for their students, so be sure to ask admissions or financial aid counselors what scholarships you are eligible. Finally, you need to make a decision! Look at your choices and jump in, once your decision is made, try to enjoy the rest of your Senior year!