With the fast-paced fall season flying by, seniors need to realize it’s crunch time and that it is time to prepare for what lies ahead: college.
As the school year is starting to unravel, seniors have a lot on their plate. They need to find out where they would like to attend college, what scholarships they can receive, and submit applications and essays. Jill Sims, in charge of the Career Center adds, “we think it’s vital for students to have a plan for after high school, and senior year is the time to have that plan figured out.”
Choosing a college can be a very challenging thing for students to do. In choosing a college, it is important to take into consideration the campus, the school size, the location, what the college has to offer, and how successful it will be. Campus size matters because some students prefer a hometown setting like Corvallis, whereas other students would prefer a city setting like New York. Either way, it is crucial to visit college campuses to find out which is best suited and to check off any colleges that are not. Students can attend the National College Fair on Nov 1 and 2, 2013 from 9 am to 12 pm at the Oregon Convention Center for more information from various schools across the nation.
School size is also important because some people have the expectation of meeting a lot of people and having a lot of friends, so a large university would be the choice for them. However, others enjoy having close relationships with fewer people, so a smaller school would be the ideal decision.
Even more important than campus and school size is what the school has to offer. If one were interested in business or journalism, University of Oregon would be ideal. Likewise, if one were interested in engineering, Oregon State University would be the better fit for them. It is really crucial for students to find what sparks their interest and follow it. This can be done by searching what schools have to offer as majors and minors on their websites.
Scholarships are a very useful way for students to pay for school. There are millions of dollars in scholarships given every year. It’s common to think that scholarships are only given based on academics, but that is a myth. Students can receive scholarships based on their ethnicity, family background, facing adversity, volunteer work, and athletic ability. These are just some of the thousands of types of scholarships out there. So before giving up and not trying, it is important to know that there are applicable scholarships for every student.
Updated scholarship information can be found on websites such as fastweb.com and in the school Career Center. Counselor Leonore Licht-Miller emphasizes, “I think college is a good plan for students. The career center, mentors, counselors, and parents are good resources for after school plans, whether it may be college or not.”
Applications may be a frightening thing to think about, but they are crucial. It is where a student can brag all they want about their accomplishments and can tell the college admissions that it is crucial for them to attend the school to make a contribution. It is important for students to keep track of community volunteer hours and involvement throughout their high school career.
The admissions essays are important too, because it is where one can stand out from the crowd and catch the reader’s eye. Depending on where to apply, a prompt may be given to the applicant or it may request for a sample of a previous essay. Either way, college essays should not be taken lightly and should give implied descriptions about what defines the individual.
Visiting colleges, seeing what they have to offer, finding and applying for scholarships, and preparing for applications and essays are all now on seniors’ plates. The time is now for the preparation for the future. It may seem so far away, but time will blow by and as soon as you know, the year will be over. So, watch out seniors, it’s crunch time. College is coming right your way, are you ready?