tips to get ready for college

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder, but thats only if you take your direction from Saturday morning cartoons. In the real world, moving away and taking flight is a giant step forward towards bigger and better things. You will find your old high school relationships strangely fading away as you branch out into your new social circle with like-minded people in your field. Life is a growing experience that continues until the day you die. As you grow, your taste in relationships, your own personality development, and your career goals will grow with you. Although there is no set rule that college bound students should cut ties with their high school sweetheart, you will find the process may happen quickly and naturally during your first year away. Although you may need to leave your high school sweetheart in the dust, remember to hold that relationship in high esteem. People will come and go from your life over the next six or seven decades, so best start early to appreciate a persons contribution to your lifes story. People enter and leave our lives for a reason. Your first love will always be special, in that he or she helped to mold you into the person you are today.Most importantly, when you walk through the door of opportunity and kiss your first love good bye, remember that the proverbial door swings both ways. He or she who is left behind is free to start over and find someone better suited for a lifelong relationship than being with you. No hard feelings and no harsh words; your high school sweetheart has fulfilled his or her purpose and its time to move on. Try to maintain a respect, friendship, and loyalty to that person and realize that you have just learned one of lifes greatest lessons about how to part your ways without malice, spite or hurt feelings. This new found interpersonal skill will benefit you in business, social circles and perhaps even unto marriage. Now, with all that emotional minutia out of the way, you are free to study hard, reinvent yourself and slay the dragon. Pros: Walking away from a relationship is a liberating experience Cons: Self-doubt on your decision may creep in to taunt you

Sometimes a school you have never even heard of may be the perfect fit for your educational needs. For example, a popular school may not have that highly-ranked science program youre looking for, so be sure to research everything, both local and non-local.Take things into consideration such as classroom size. Some students can do well in large-sized classrooms, while others tend to perform better when the classroom consists of fewer students and more one-on-one time with the professor.I strongly emphasize finding the right match for you, said Goldberg. Look at the obvious factors, such as location, size and major, but also research the less obvious factors. For example, check out any activities you would like to get involved with on campus or see if the school has a more conservative or liberal approach.

Do not ever let money hinder your chances at a solid education. Log onto fafsa.ed.gov to complete your free application for financial aid. This free site, along with the college you will be attending, will determine how much money is available to you.Money is something that you have very little of in college, said Antonio Spellman, a Sociology major with a minor in Africana Studies at San Diego State University. To meet the high demands of books, tuition costs and other fees, it is important to fill out your FAFSA in a timely fashion. otherwise, you miss other important deadlines for payments on the aforementioned items because processing your information may take awhile. It is like paying any other bill, the sooner the better.Financial aid applications for the upcoming academic school year can be submitted as early as Jan. 1 with a deadline of March 2. Keep in mind that there is only a certain amount of money made available to students. The earlier you submit your application for review, the greater your chances are of getting more money than someone who waited until just before the deadline.Not only should you be aiming to meet the March 2nd deadline, but you should stress submitting the most accurate information possible, even if your taxes are not completed, said Goldberg. Its more important to meet the deadline with accurate information, rather than having to go back later to correct something. Also, research scholarships. There are scholarships for everyone, I mean everyone. Some are available to people just because they are left-handed, so take advantage. Your FAFSA may seem to be a hassle now, but its a walk in the park in comparison to having to pay the full amount of your college fees, said Berenice Alvarez, a Business Administration-Management major at San Diego State University.

Most universities will require the applicant to provide letters of recommendation from high school faculty. Be sure to request and acquire these letters well before your application deadline. You want to give the person who is writing the letter enough time to ensure that ample thought and detail is involved. The person is more likely to provide you with a thoughtful letter when he or she is not being rushed.Try giving teachers and counselors a two week lead-time in order to prepare letters of recommendation, said Goldberg. We want you to be able to put your best foot forward and writing a strong letter takes time. Its like when you are writing a paper. You start out with a rough draft and take time to make revisions. Its the same way with a letter of recommendation. Transcripts and other items should also be requested well in advance because it may take awhile to process. You want to make sure you have everything you need and on time.

Your counselor provides you with free assistance to help guide you toward making the best choices for your future. He or she can also help to provide you with application fee waivers to the colleges you wish to apply to if you qualify for them. Remember that your counselor is not there to make decisions for you, but is simply used as a tool to help you, help yourself. A counselor is such a valuable resource, said Goldberg.Whether you want to set-up a meeting with your family or on your own, we can provide you with up-to-date information on colleges. We can make you aware of college visits to the high schools and most of us set-up workshops for college applications and the FAFSA. We also have updated information on local scholarships because agencies usually send that information directly to the counseling office.Counselors are not only helpful, but can act as an excellent contributor to your academic support group. In high school, my high school counselor was almost like my best friend, said Mike Sessions, a Mass Communications major with an emphasis on TV and Video Production at California State University, San Bernardino. Had I not met with her and listened to her advice, I would have been lost in trying to figure out this whole college thing. Not only was she the key to mentoring me, she also pushed me to go harder academically. While counselors are very useful, you should still always take the time to figure out what works best for you, apart from what everyone else thinks or says. All students should have a counselor in whom they trust to help motivate and inspire them throughout their academic career,

Try not to base your decisions on the college descriptions from the website or photographs, especially if the school is local. If you are able to, visit the school. You can usually schedule for a tour guide to show you around, so you can view the campus first-hand. It is very important to go to the campus, said Goldberg. Check out its surroundings and environment because you will be spending a lot of time there. Its like picking out a home for the next four years. I encourage potential students to take a formal tour of the campus, but to also tour it on their own. Wander around and talk to students. Ask them about their favorite things to do there and get to know the school in a more casual setting.Introduce yourself to the faculty and staff to gain a better understanding of who you will be working with for the coming years. If you already know what you want to major in, pay specific attention to the staff working in that department. If the college is not local and you have the means, plan a road trip with some friends to visit your educational prospects. It can be both helpful and exciting. I made sure to contact different schools to gain a better understanding of how the curriculum worked, said Tiffany Hobbs, who graduated with her Pharmaceutical Technician Certificate from Valley Career College in El Cajon, CA.

Once you have determined which schools you wish to apply to, you must know your deadlines. Universities are getting much stricter with deadlines because they are so impacted right now, said Goldberg. Fewer students are being admitted due to budget cuts and schools will discontinue looking at your application if you are not meeting the required deadlines. Schools are likely to get in contact with you through e-mail, so many sure to check yours to remain aware of any time-sensitive requests they may have.This is of the utmost importance. You must not procrastinate. I am the top dog procrastinator and I learned the hard way to change this terrible habit, said Elias. Do not wait until the last week of application deadlines. Get everything done as soon as possible. College applications are not like homework. You cannot submit them late and simply expect the reviewers to deduct some points. If you miss the deadline, you will be unable to reapply until the next application window. Some schools accept applications twice a year. However, there are many that only accept them once a year, meaning a whole academic year will be lost because you were unable to gather your material within the correct time frame. Time is of the essence, so make do to manage it wisely.Deadlines are super, super important said Rios. School will be very hard if you do not keep track of important dates. Getting material submitted for the application deadline is only the beginning. Write important dates down in a place that you will constantly look, in order to keep them fresh in your head.

Depending on the university, different exams will be required for entry. Visit your local library for books to help you to prepare for these tests or find free online study tools, according to the exam. These will be some of the most important exams you will have to take because they will determine your academic placement. High school prepares you for these important exams, said Alvarez. Study as much as possible because the higher your score, the less likely it will be that you have to take remedial classes.Make sure to take the entrance exams very seriously, added Goldberg. It can save you money in the long run because you may be eligible for exemption from certain classes for graduation. Even if you do not need a specific course for graduation in high school, try taking it anyway to better prepare yourself for the test. It can end up reducing your time and costs for college.

This is especially important if you are applying to multiple schools because different schools have different requirements. For example, while one school may require two letters of recommendation, another school may require three. Being in college, you find that everything is fast-paced and you end up multi-tasking and taking on more than your fair share of responsibilities, said Spellman. I find that being organized helps with time management, makes prioritizing and remembering things simpler and makes your life that much easier. If you have to, buy a planner, set reminders, write on an at-home chalkboard, whatever helps you organize your thoughts, ideas and events (tests, papers, etc.).

As much as we all love for grants and scholarships to completely pay our way through college, its unlikely. Therefore, somethings going to have to come out of that pocket. If you are still in high school, try thinking about a part-time job for the weekend or working summers. It is important to have a budget and to keep it in mind, said Goldberg. Keep track of your finances and if you have a part-time job, factor that in as well. Open up a savings account at a local bank or put your money into that secret stash you have hidden in your closet. Do not think you need to wait until your junior or senior year to start saving or even researching colleges. Do this as early as possible. You can never be too prepared.