What do you want to study?
    Do you have a special interest that you want to pursue?
    Do you have a hobby that would be a good career choice?
    Is your career choice following a family tradition?
    Are you undecided on a course of study?
 

A few students have been able to choose their goals very early in life and vigorously pursue that goal . They want to explore, help, or they may have a need for intellectual satisfaction. They already know that they want to be a doctor, lawyer, astronaut, scientist or teacher. These students already have a predestined  course of study beginning in high school and continuing through college to send them down their chosen career path.

Many people may have a hobby that could develop into a career. The hobby of amateur radio has given rise to various engineers, disc jockeys and talk show hosts. Eight-year-old's with rock collections, coin collections, or stamp collections have become geologists, geophysicists, and metallurgists. Those who love books and enjoy reading and research might become librarians, legal secretaries or writers. Those with a passion for scuba or skin diving, hiking, canoeing or mountaineering have become marine biologists, oceanographers, meteorologists, or outdoor tour guides.

"My grandfather was a pilot. My father is a pilot. I want to be a pilot!" The career choice may be following a loved family tradition and the course of study may parallel that of the parents. The parents then may be the major influence for assisting the student to choose course work. There might be a heritage of teachers, doctors, policemen or firemen in the family.

"I am not really sure what I want to do or study." It is OK to be undecided as to careers or course work. You are in an enviable position of being able to sample many types of classes and explore different career opportunities during the first couple of years of college. Some students will declare themselves as "undecided" and during the first couple of years of their higher education and concentrate on getting the required basics finished. Some students assume that once a major has been declared that they must stay with it. It is absolutely OK to change your major, even several times. Graduating from college in five years or more with two or more majors will only marketability in the job market. The extra year(s) and course work will also add to the students life experiences.

Counselors in some school districts want the student to pick a college major or career as early as eighth grade. This reasoning is to get the high school student the necessary background for college course work. The student may have an idea what he/she wants to study or the student may not have any idea what to study.  Remember, it is absolutely OK to be undecided at the beginning of your college career. If you feel that you must choose a college major in eight grade or ninth grade, it is OK to change it later during your high school career.  While in high school, make sure your grades are excellent in all of your core subjects and that you have a well rounded selection of electives to show your versatility. You have the rest of your life to pursue the endeavor of your choice.

If you are undecided, seek out people in different professions and talk to them about what they do and what they may have done different. Ask them how they chose and planed for that profession. Volunteer to work at different company offices and organizations to investigate different career opportunities. Be careful about pursuing the current "hot job." When you finish your college career, that hot job may no longer exist. As you go through college, seriously consider obtaining a major in two fields. Not only does two majors add to your versatility but if you tire of one profession or that profession is not all that you thought it would be, you have the background and education to pursue another profession.

"Ask yourself the following questions. 'What am I interested in doing? Which university does it the best? How are student services?' " These are questions that Gilbert Becerra, Jr., Admissions Counselor, from Southern Methodist University wants the college bound student to ask him/herself. Your choice of subject can have a bearing on where you want to go to college. Fine arts? Liberal arts? Science and technology? Medicine? Agriculture? Forestry? What is the best school for your subject of study?   Many schools are very well rounded in the programs they offer and you can obtain a degree in just about any field. Other schools will develop a reputation for being outstanding in a subject area such as engineering, music, art, law, or any number of  other specialized subject areas. Search for schools that have well develop curriculum in the subject that you want to study. Look at their web page and catalogue. Seek out others that have degrees in your area of study and ask them where they went to school. 
  
The physical environment (climate, terrain) could play a part of where you go to school. Desert mountains? Snow covered mountains? Rain forest? Beach front? Cement cities? Hot? Cold? 

The social environment might be a deciding factor for your choice of school. Fraternities? Sororities? Culture? Religion? A small college? Junior college? A large university? Do you want to attend school in a small town, a suburb, or a large city? 

Conveniently located schools may be the deciding factor for  what school to attend. Choosing a college or university in the city in which you reside is convenient in that you are already familiar with the city and the school. Another deciding factor might be cost, you can live at home, thus not having to worry about money that would be needed for room and board while going to school. A school near home will reduce transportation costs. The tuition, a major cost of college, can be dramatically reduced by attending a community college or an in state college.

Do your very best to go visit the college or university that you want to attend. Look at the school and the amenities offered by the school but also check out the city in which the school is located. Your comfort level with the school you plan to attend is important. The higher your comfort level, the better you will perform. Colleges and universities are installing dazzling web pages on the Internet and producing brilliant brochures. Look at the web pages and collect the brochures but do not allow these to be the sole criteria for selecting a school to attend. Go visit the school, set up a schedule to interview administrators and instructors.  Plan your visit at such a time that there will not be a crowd of other visitors clamoring for interviews and guided tours. Before your visit, inquire with administration of the school you intend visit to arrange for a student guided tour of the campus. A real  bonus would be to find and talk to other students that have similar interests and majors. Find out where the social and academic action is. A short visit to the college is never enough. Spend time not only on the campus but also in the neighborhood and city. Learn as much as you can about the area.
  
Your studies are most important and you must be comfortable with the environment of the campus. Develop a check list of your criteria for college.
 

 1. Check out the curriculum. Does it match what you want to study?
 2. Check out the size of classes.
 3. Check out who is teaching the classes and labs. 
 4. Is the instructor a research professor? Tenured? Adjunct professor? 
 5. Is an aid teaching and/or evaluating the students' work?
 6. Is an aid or other assistant teaching the laboratory activities?
 7. Are the professor / teaching aids easily accessible for assistance?
 8. Check campus crime and campus security services.
 9. Check campus repair (overall condition of the buildings and grounds). 
 10. Check the campus stores.
 11. Check out the dormitories, are they single sexed by building or by floors?
 12. How large is the dorm room and how many students will live in it?
 13. Check out campus dorm security, dorm parking, and dorm food services.
 14. How much are telephone and Internet connections?
 15. Checking out off campus housing?
 16.  If you live off campus, check out transportation to the campus.
 17. What are the medical services available on campus?
 18. Is medical insurance available through the school?   
 19. What is the neighborhood community like that surrounds the campus?
 20. What will your cost be of living expenses at the school?
 
Write down your impressions of the visit. How close does the school in which you are interested match your personality and needs? As you visit the respective campuses, keep notes on what you saw, who you talked with and your overall impressions. 

Students may be set on attending a very specific college and if that is the case, contact that college's admissions office early in the high school career and stay in contact with the administration of that school. Familiarity with your name and achievements can increase your chances of being accepted by your college of choice. Include in your portfolio all and more that is required by the school.

What are the requirements to get into your choice of school(s)?
    How are your grades?
    What are your scores on the ACT or SAT?
    Do you have any special interests or skills?
    How is you community service record?
 

Some colleges are open ended in their admission process, meaning that any student with a high school diploma and participation in the SAT or ACT is all that is required for admission. Applicants to these schools are accepted on a first-come-first-serve basis. Advisors may make class placement determined by the student's class rank and score on the SAT or ACT. Other colleges require that the student's GPA/class rank is in the top 25 or 50 percentile with appropriate SAT and ACT scores. A few brand name colleges and universities are highly selective and only consider students in the top 10% of their graduating class and to include the appropriate scores on the ACT and SAT.  In addition, schools want to know about your activities and/or positions that indicate leadership. Just because one school is much more selective than another school doesn't necessarily mean that one is better than another. Prospective employers will primarily consider the type of degree and the level and quality of the coarse work completed and if that degree and course work aligns with the job opening offered. It is not necessarily where you go to further your education, but how you apply yourself that will lead you to your life's goals.

What is important to get into college? GRADES! Your GPA, are you on top? top 10? 10%? 25%? 50%? Perform to the best of your abilities and as your schedule permits, take an honors or AP (advance placement) class or more to improve your GPA and class rank. If several honors classes are on the schedule, developing time management skills is essential to make good grades. Are you having problems in a subject? Go to the instructor for clarification and assistance. Attend tutorials.  Most colleges require: 4 English credits, 3 foreign language credits, 3 math credits, 3 laboratory science credits, 3 social studies credits and 1 credit each of art and music. Plan your high school career to do well in these subject areas. Kristi Zona, Assistant Director in the Office of Admissions at Texas Tech University adds, "We look at the students class load during their senior year. During their senior year take math and science classes and dispense the early release programs. We want to see As and Bs in AP classes. We also scrutinize your writing abilities." Elective requirements may be at the college's discretion so contact the schools to which you are applying and find out about their elective preferences.

Almost equally important are your SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test) and ACT (American College Testing) scores.  A perfect score on the SAT is 1600 and for the ACT, a 36. If you were having a bad day or if you thought you could have made a higher score, you may take the test again. Many students will take the test in their junior or even in their sophomore year just to see what the test is all about. You can take these tests as many times as you want. There are study guides and practice tests available. Tutors can be found to help you prepare for these tests.  Karen Thomas, Admissions Counselor from Baylor talks about the SAT and ACT scores. "Our students graduate from high school in the top 50% with SAT scores of at least 1180 and/or ACT scores of 24. We encourage the high school students to take the SAT and ACT again, especially for scholarships. We will accept the highest math score and the highest English score from your tests."

Suppose your grades and SAT or ACT scores just barely miss the cut for the school of your choice. What else do you have to offer? Have you demonstrated leadership abilities? Do you have any special awards, accomplishments or talents? Have something special about you that would cause the school the take another look, an accomplishment or activity that adds to the diversity of the school you want to attend. Schools do not necessarily look for the well rounded student but schools will look for the unique student to add to the school's well rounded and diversified campus population. Trying to become a "jack of all trades" to impress admissions officers could backfire on you. Do not try to impress a college or university with quantity, impress them with quality. 

Throughout your high school career, establish a portfolio for your accomplishments, achievements and activities. Keep your report cards in the portfolio. Keep all letters of recommendation and certificates of achievement that you have received in your portfolio. Keep a list of any awards or trophies that you have won. Keep notes on the clubs or organizations and your accomplishments in those clubs and organizations in your portfolio. All of these items will be useful as you prepare to fill out the college applications. Demonstrate planning and organization during the application process. Trey Findlay, Admissions Counselor from Schreiner University tells, "We place emphasis on the interview rather than the application process. We are interested in who you are an why you want to attend Shreiner University. We look for the individual rather than just another face in the crowd. How a person presents themselves is important to us. This also involves the person knowing themselves at a deeper level rather than just knowing what they are superficially interested in."  During interviews with admission officers, have your list of questions ready and be prepared to write down the answers.

As you pursue extra curricular activities, it is best to have just a couple and pursue those with vigor. Admissions officers look at applicants a bit less favorably when the student tries to do everything and list such on the application. It is best to do less better than to do more less effectively. Try several activities that you may be interested in then chose one or two to excel passionately in. Look for ideas and see what is offered at your high school and in your community. Check your student handbook to see what is happening around your campus. Jessica Krenik, Admissions Counselor at Trinity University  tells students to, "Get involved in school and community activities, show leadership qualities,"
  

Clubs - Join a club: National Honor Society, Beta Club, student council, foreign language club, art club, FFA, debate, key club, science club, engineering club, or other special interest clubs. 
Hobbies - Develop a hobby or collection for which you have a passion. Examples may include amateur radio, spelunking, skydiving, herpetology, horseback riding, or photography. Become a connoisseur of science fiction writings. 
Sports - Participate in a sport at school or in the community.  Cycling, orienteering, Lacrosse, dance, sculling, kayaking, body building and fencing are a few unique sports that add to the diversity of the college environment. 
Community Service - Volunteer time to serve your community. Candy Stripers, Habitat for Humanity, National Charity League, Meals on Wheels are only a few excellent community service activities.  Check out volunteering at the hospital, library, college, parks, and retirement homes.
 
Your membership in an activity or group will benefit you as you apply to colleges and universities. Membership demonstrates social skills and team work that is so often necessary for accomplishing goals. "Become involved in honor societies and clubs. membership in organizations opens door for scholarships," as quoted by Pete Lara, Admissions Counselor from Sul Ross State University. Demonstrating leadership qualities at school or in the community is also a big plus on the college application. "Be a strong and well rounded student in academics and extra curricular activities. Obtain leadership skills. Give back to the community." This comment is from Andy Garner, Admissions Counselor from Texas A&M University. Show leadership qualities by being instrumental in a school activity. Organize a school activity or community activity. Run for and win an elected office in a club or organization. Above all, maintain honesty and integrity during your high school career and on the application process.  

The cost of getting a higher education has and will dramatically increase. Tuition and fees can be as low as $1800 a year for attending an in-state state supported college to as high as $27,000 for an Ivy league school. Check the web site of the school you want to attend for an estimation of fees and tuition. Be sure to include books, room and board, telephone, Internet connection, transportation, and any other miscellaneous expenses that will occur during the course of the school year.  Investigate insurance for medical expenses, your possessions and your car. Look for any tax benefits. Some families may consult with a financial planner to make long term college cost decisions. Check this college expense calculator at CNNMONEY.
 
Cash - It is nice to pay as you go, but can everyone afford this? 
Savings plans - Plan ahead. At or before the birth of the child start saving $50 or $100 dollars a month. Eighteen years later this amount will be a nice tidy sum for higher education expenses. Investigate the "Upromiss" plan or the 529 plan.
Bank Loans - Bank loans can have high interest rates even though destined for education. 
Student Loans - Student loans, as compared to bank loans, have Lower to no interest rates and can have a longer playback schedule. These loans are usually backed by the government. 
Grants - Most grant moneys are usually awarded for specific areas of study to upper classmen or graduate students developing or continuing specialized advanced studies. These moneys are not paid back.
Scholarships - Scholarships are available for those that demonstrate academic achievement or outstanding athletic abilities.  Scholarships are also awarded for areas of study, to ethnic groups, to disadvantaged socio-economic groups, and for other specifications and situations. Many scholarships are awarded by colleges and universities. A lot of scholarships are issued by special interest groups, service clubs, and fraternal organizations. Another source of scholarships may be companies that employ the parent of the college bound student.
 
529 plans - This is a tax free plan to invest money for only college expenses. The plan varies from state to state. Money can be invested in any states plan and it does not matter where the family lives, nor does it matter where the the student will attend college. Currently the state of Virginia seems to have one of the better established 529 plans.

Money for higher education is available, plan, look for and apply for the various scholarships. Reports circulate that some grants and scholarships go unclaimed because no one applied for them! In Texas, ask your high school counselor about the Texas Grant Program.  More links for financial assistance are listed below.

Upromiss plans - I am still studing this issue, when I have all my facts, I will present the advantages and disadvantages here.

About student loans - Use student loans with caution. Students have graduated from college with upwards of thirty to forty thousand dollars or more in student loans. These loans must be paid back, the loans are not forgiven. Consider what your income will be when you graduate from college. Do the math and determine your ability to repay the loan. In addition to your loan payment, take into consideration the rest of your living expenses, monthly expenditures would include your rent, car payments, insurance, and other monthly bills.

Most all colleges and universities offer on campus housing but look at the alternatives. Renting off campus apartments or houses may be more expensive than campus housing, may cost about the same as campus housing, or might be considerable cheaper than living on campus. Check with local real estate companies and apartment rental services. Check with College Park Communities for off campus housing. facilities

Here is a cool option to consider for room and board. Parents, buy a house for your offspring to live in while attending college. Have your offspring round up two or three reliable and responsible roommates. Charge the roommates just enough rent to pay the house note. When the offspring graduates, sell the house for a profit.  [author's note - This idea came from a friend of mine. He did exactly that while his daughter was attending vet school at Texas A&M. When she graduated, he sold the house for a $12000 profit. He never had to make a payment out of his pocket and it was a nice tax write off!]

Links

These are only a few of the excellent online resources to assist you on where you want to go to college, what to study, and how to get in. Some of these sites are also involved in ranking colleges for your differing personal and educational needs. Other sites assist in taking ACT and SAT tests and financial planning for college expenses.

College Testing
   ACT - American College Testing
    SAT - Scholastic Aptitude Test

School Financial Aid Links
    College Board - Scholarship and Grants for good students
    College Funding Solutions
    College Savings Plan Network's Page - State college saving plans BUT use with caution!
    FAFSA on the Web - U. S. Department of Education, free application for federal student aid
    Fastweb Scholarship Search
     Federal Student Aid Help
    Financial Aid Information Page  
    Financial Aid Supersite   -  Truth, opinions, sources about finacial aid
    National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators
    Office of Post secondary Education - Contains facts on every kind of federal student loan
    Sallie Mae - Provides financial help
     Scholarship Search
     Texas Grant Program