BrookSpeak

It is almost the end of first semester and the thought of the end of school is a constant burden for seniors; the journey to adulthood has only begun. College is just around the corner for seniors and they’re commencing the preparation for the final learning experience in life.

“The research of college should start by the beginning of junior year and have at least five colleges in mind by the end of your junior year,� said guidance counselor Anika Stafford.

“It took me until my eighth grade year to realize the college I wanted to go to,� said senior Stacy Lazarus.

“It took me two years to start realizing the college I wanted to attend,� said senior Jay Robinson.

Seniors this year have many things to do before college but the process of preparation seems foreign. In all actuality the preparation process is simple, the key is to not rush everything at once. Seniors are advised to relax and take baby steps in applying and choosing a colleges.

“Try to start looking for a college very, very early and take your ACTs and SATs early as well,� said Lazarus.

In the process of choosing which college to attend the first action taken should be based on the level at which the college satisfies the needs of the person.
“You want to consider the course of study you want to take, the college location, how far away you want to go, can you afford coming home for holidays, and the costs of the college,� said Stafford.

After selecting the colleges of choice, the secondary step is to look at the colleges’ requirements and determine if you can receive financial aid. Financial standing is an important factor when applying for college.

“Financial aid is when you are applying with the government and that’s FAFSA and scholarships. We also keep a scholarship book to have record of scholarships available for the students who want to look at available scholarships and also college information in the Career Center in the Media Center,� said Stafford.

“Considering educational programs and majors can be hard thing to look for,� said Robinson.

Guidance counselors are available if a student needs help finding or applying for colleges. School counselors can inform the student of their academic standing relating to class credits and at what times the ACTs and SATs are administered.

“If its their junior year they should wait after they have taken Algebra II to be will prepared for the tests,� said Stafford.

Instead of just surfing the Internet for information, visitations are another way to feel a connection to the college of your choice.

“Keep your head up because just cause they turn you down just keep on going at it,� said Robinson.