Preparing for College

Related: Student Survival Guide A free college success book.

Effective study skills The key to success in college.

Preparing For College As A High School FreshmanAs a freshman in high school, your are just getting started in high school, but you need to start thinking about college. It may seem like a long way off, but you will be better off if you start preparing for college now...

Preparing for college as an adult has its own challenges. Along with the issues that all students must prepare for the adult has even more to worry about. Such as child care, a mortgage, a supportive or unsupportive spouse or partner and possibly even a full time job...

Many high school graduates are often unprepared for college.

That's because not all public high schools take enough time to prepare for college their juniors and seniors for what lies ahead. Instead students are force to focus primarily on GPA, SAT, ACT scores and anything else that will improve their chances of getting into their college or university of choice. It doesn't help to get into college and then flunk most of their classes the first semester. Depending on the school, having just one 'F' can do a lot of damage. It causes a ripple effect that can ultimately prevent students from getting the internship they want or being eligible to take a class they need. If you're a high school student who's about to go off to college there are several things you can do to make sure you're well prepared.

The first thing to do, in preparing for college, is to apply for as many scholarships as you can get your hands on. Don't think about scholarships as only academic or sports related, there are scholarships that are granted to students for just being tall, short, Asian, Hispanic, etc. In Texas, scholarships are granted to high school students who graduate early even if it's only by six months. So if you're a junior or a senior and this idea appeals to you, talk to your guidance counselor about working out a schedule that will allow you to graduate six months to a year early. Another thing to remember is to apply for financial aid, the sooner you apply the more money you are likely to receive. Financial aid and scholarships are all free money, money you don't have to worry about paying back. The last thing you want to be is knee deep in debt.

Another way to save money is to sign up for Advance Placement (AP) exams. If you've been taking AP classes in school you should already be prepared for these exams. The point of AP exams is to offer high school students a chance to earn college credit for certain courses before entering college. Don't try to take on too much all at once, remember you'll still need to focus on your final exams on top of studying for the SAT and the ACT. So it's more beneficial to sign up for only two maybe three AP exams giving you a chance to really focus and increase your chances of doing well. When you get to college there's still a chance to earn college credit without having to take the courses and that's through the College Level Examination Program (CLEP). What's great about the CLEP is that you get to choose when and where you'd like to take it. There are study materials available online and they're updated in accordance with the test. The CLEP only covers core curriculum classes and the number of hours you earn depends on how high you score. It's a good way to save money because the cost to students are typically around $50 per subject and $60 for non-students.

Preparing for college - checking out the college

Once the issue of paying for school has been covered it's time to check out the colleges and universities you've chosen, this probably should've been done first but it's not crucial. It's a good idea to apply for several colleges and universities aside from your favorite ones because it's always good to have a back-up. Community colleges aren't just for students from low income families or slackers it is also a smart way to start out your college career. At a community college the classrooms are smaller, allowing students more one-on-one time with their professors and the cost of classes, labs and textbooks are much less. Another great thing about community colleges is that failed classes that have been retaken (and passed) won't stick with you when you transfer over to a bigger college or university, nor will your GPA. So when you transfer to a new school you will have gotten most, if not all of your core classes out of the way and a fresh start.

Whether you decide to go to a four year school or start out at a community college it's important to know your way around. Every college and university does freshmen orientation, some do it bigger than others either way sign up for it. This will give you a chance to meet other students who are either thinking about or will be attending the school (there's usually free food and live music). It will also give you a chance to learn about the school, where each department is located, where to eat, where to buy your books and so forth. If you've already decided on your school and what you'd like to major in, feel free to find that department and talk to an advisor. Many times professors and heads of departments are hanging around outside welcoming new and perspective students, take that time to chat with them and learn who's who because it will come in handy later on.

After you've been accepted to a school the next step is to find a place to live. There are many options, you can either live on campus or commute. Living on campus is convenient because you're already on campus you don't have to worry about waking up 30 minutes to an hour early in order to get to class on time. You'll save money on gas because you won't have to drive to school or fight off five other students for one parking spot. You'll also be living with or around other students from your school, it's great if you're looking to make new friends and socialize more. If you want more living space, peace and quiet and getting to choose who you live with then living off campus is better. Many people assume that staying in a dorm is cheaper than renting an apartment, when the truth is it's the other way around. Considering how much living space you get minus the fees for things you probably won't use, it's fairly less expensive to live off campus than it is to live on. You can cut the cost of rent and bills down even more by finding a roommate or finding apartments that offer deals to students. Many apartments that are located near campus usually cater to students and offer discounts and specials, and some include all utilities with the rent (that means you get one bill every month).

Preparing for college - register for classes

Now that you've found a place to live it's time to register for classes. It's important to talk to your advisor if you're unsure of what classes you need to take. Your advisor will most likely print out a list of core classes for you and tell you where to find a listing of open classes for the semester and how to sign up for them. Before you sign up for any classes look at the list your advisor gave you and pick eight classes that you'd like to take your first semester. List the classes in order of importance to you and then either go online or find a new printed course listing and write down the available days and times for all eight classes, don't forget to jot down the professors' name. You won't be taking all eight classes in one semester, you'll only be taking four maybe five at a time. The remainder are classes to fall back on in case your top four classes are full or aren't available on days you want. Once you've gotten the available times and days create your schedule, decide what days and times you want to have classes. From here you'll probably find that there are several professors teaching the same courses. A good way to figure out which professor is right for you is to check their evaluations from past students. Most schools keep teachers' evaluations dating back at least five years and it can typically be found in the library. You can even check out sites like Myspace and Rate My Professor to find out what other students have to say about specific courses and professors. By now you should have enough information to know which classes you want, what times and with which professor. All that's left to do is to sign up for the classes and make it official by getting a printed schedule.

The last thing you need to do, to prepare for college, is to buy your textbooks. When you've gotten a copy of your schedule go to the school bookstore to pick out your books. If you have a hard time finding the required books ask the sales clerk for help, they'll know where things are because they probably put out the books themselves. It's important to get the books as soon as you can because if you wait too long all of the used books will be taken and you'll be stuck with paying more for a new one. If you have a few weeks before classes start you can save money by ordering them from Amazon or other sites. Many school bookstores have website that allows students to pre-order books or place them on hold. The school bookstore can also be used to find out what the required textbooks are for your classes (that way you can order them somewhere else). Just type in the name of the course, the course number and the professor's name and it'll bring up a list. When that's finished you've successfully done everything a student should do and is ready for college.

Any student that follow these steps will certainly be prepared for their first semester of college. Nothing's more important to a student's college career than getting through their first year, once they've made it that far the rest will follow. These steps to college success works for any student regardless if it's their first year or their fifth. The most important rule of all is to have fun, college isn't just about studying it's also about enjoying yourself and experiencing new things.