Im a junior in high school, and what should i start doing to get ready for college?

Question

How should go about looking at colleges and getting my name out there to show interest.

Answer 1

As someone who has 4 University degrees and has been a college instructor since the age of 20 (can you spell geek?) you really got to answer a lot of questions first.

1) What is your current GPA?
2) What GPA do you desire to have in College (in other words will you try to be a party animal and hope to get a 2.0, will you want to date and hope to get a 3.0, do you want to be a fellow geek and go for a 4.0)? I mean this is really important to ones social life especially when combined with question 3.
3) How tough of a school do you want to go to? I mean America offers colleges for all types of students. Some that couldn't care whether you came to class, if you pay the tuition they will pass you - to the college that says - if you need to sleep - forget about passing.
ONCE you have answered those three questions - then get your ACT/SAT tests taken care of. Then decide what major you want.

Now you have a TOUGH choice. I am going to assume you will be a studious student....Pick a field you want to study.
1) Do you go to a college that is ranked very high in that field? Or do you go to a college that is ranked very high in general? If you are 100% sure you will get AT LEAST a Bachelor's in that field, then choose first option. If you ONLY hope to get a Bachelors in that field - choose option B.
WHy? Because when you graduate - you have 2 IMPORTANT choices...
1) Do you go for further studies? Or try to get a Job in that field. If you chose option A, you will have better chances for BOTH of those questions. Either getting into a better graduate school or making more money.
But, at the VERY least try to go to a very good school. There is a saying "Stay above the Mason-Dixon line". I don't know if that still holds true or if that line really exists. BUt, in general (notice the words "in general") the schools in the north are better than the schools in the south. You see, when I completed my Master's Degree and failed to get my PhD at a top 25 school in Math, I could have gone to a University in Tennessee (at that time their ranking was VERY bad, it may have improved) and Easily gotten a PhD, but then it would not have gotten a very good job. So, I went on to Computer Science. You really have to determine as far out as you can what you want to accomplish in life. Then choose schools that you can succeed at and make a good salary. Lots of colleges posts salaries of recents graduates.

There is SOOOOO much for you to do. If you want send me a PM then I can help you more. After you answer the above questions.

Good luck!

Answer 2

In the first place... I am impressed that you would even think about getting ready for college... It IS something that one has to motivate themselves to get ready for... You should:
a) Begin thinking about which school that you want to go to or.. OR.... do you want to take FIRST some basic courses at the local Community college(I always recommend this)
b) If you have the money.. make a trip to the college you want to go to if you do not want to start out with some basics(English 101, Math 101, Psychology 101, etc and some other basics that credits will transfer to a regular university)
c) At that University, visit the Deptartment that you might be interested in and talk with one or so professors there to get a feel for what you might get involved in when you attend.
d) At the high school.. put effort in learning as much as you can and ask your teachers(if they are competent) to assist you in some extra studying, etc.

Answer 3

You should already be doing it. You need to be taking courses that are required for college entrance and those vary from time to time and college to college. You need to be getting decent grades. If you are looking to get into a really great school and have not started doing anything, you might be too late for that. Colleges look at extra curricular activities and community service as well. Getting the best grades you can on the SAT exams is also key. Lots of kids your age take practice SATs.

Answer 4

Be sure to get really good grades. Your GPA must impress the colleges so be sure to do really well. You should also try to enroll in college classes while you're still in high school. And complete all of your A-G requirments.Take your SAT and ACT, study with friends and read A LOT! Join Clubs and do community service. Being involved really catches colleges' attention. I'm in AVID and they have been prepping me since 7th grade about this stuff so I kind of have an idea.

Answer 5

talk to your guidance counselor about which colleges you're interested in. some things to consider when choosing a college: location, cost, size, degree programs, social aspects, etc.
getting your name out there to show interest is easy. fill out applications to a few of the places you're interested in. another way to show interest is to find a college and schedule a campus tour. these are a really great way to get a feel for the college and learn more information about it from the people that work there.

Answer 6

I suggest you start talking to your adviser immediately, you should have been doing research on colleges in your sophomore year or in the summer. You better hurry because application deadlines are approaching soon and some colleges may only have a few weeks or so left, and the college you may want to attend might stop accepting applications soon. You should have a general idea of what major you want to pursue, and its best to go to a college that specializes in that field, even if you are completely unsure of which exact major you want.

Answer 7

You're actually a little late getting started.

Speak with your college counselor at school; register at www.collegeboard.com; prepare for SATs and possibly SAT Subject Tests and ACT, depending; take the most rigorous courses you can; stick with 2-4 extracurricular activities/sports to show passion for these activities; try to lead in some of them; read (library) or purchase Fiske Guide to Colleges; look at newsweek.com's college rankings (consider paying for premium access, you get more detail.); attend college fairs; e-mail admissions offices and request literature (they'll start a file on you that shows you're interested in them...); research scholarships and grants, if you will need these; as someone else said, get the best grades you can, maintain high standards.

Answer 8

Get good grades in challenging courses. Colleges want students that wil do well at their institution If you are set on that program then yes, it will show dedication and that you aren't just going eenie meanie miney moe and picking a major If you do, do something like tutoring everyday for a few years otter than a trip to Africa, colleges like that better.

Answer 9

First, figure out what you're going to study, then target the schools w/ good programs of study in your chosen field. Go and check out the schools and see what their entrance requirements are. You'll need to do well in school, and on the SAT test. It would help if you were also involved in your community in some way.

Answer 10

You can start by preparing for the SATs and ACTs. Your SAT is the most important score and the higher it is, the better you look. Colleges would think highly of you if you have a high SAT score and GPA.