10 Things to Know and Do Before Applying for College

10 Things to Know and Do Before Applying for College. A college is an academic institution that offers vocational, professional or technical education. Colleges focus more on undergraduate and graduate education. 

At the end of any college program, you will be awarded either a:

• Bachelor’s degree (undergraduate),
• Masters degree (graudate),
• Certificate degree (undergraduate), or
• Doctoral degree (graduate). 

Generally, colleges are categorized into:

• Private Colleges: These colleges depend on fees, tuition, and non-government funding sources. Private colleges provide financial aid to students from private donations.  

• Public Colleges: These are colleges funded by state and local governments. Public colleges give lower tuition fees than private colleges, especially for students who are residents of the college’s state location. 

There are diverse types of colleges namely:

• Community college 
• Liberal arts college
• Vocational college
• Technical college
• For-profit college
• Arts college
• Special interest college

In the next section, I will discuss more on the things you must know and do before applying for college.

Things to Know and Do Before Applying For College

Here are the ten top things to know and do before applying for college:

1. Career options
2. Long-term goals
3. High-school resume
4. College and degree options
5. Distance from home
6. Boarding options
7. Opportunities for extracurricular activity
8. College size
9. Financial options
10. SAT/ACT test-taking strategies

1. Career options

Knowing what a career is and the available opportunities is one thing you must do before applying for college. 

A career is an occupation you would like to start. It can be a profession or job that you want to engage in for a long period. A few categories of career options include:

• Technology and engineering (for example, software development, civil engineering, IT management, and information security analysis).
• Sales and marketing (for example, public relations, brand associate, market researcher, and sales representative).
• Law and government (for example, legal consultant, lawyer, and diplomat).
• Hospitality and tourism (for example, chef, hotel management, tour guide, and travel agent).
• Education (for example, librarian, school teacher, principal, and career counsellor), and many others. 

Make your choice of career before applying for college. 

2. Long-term goals

A long-term goal is a goal you want to achieve in either a year or years to come. Long-term goals are milestones, so, the college you choose must be able to help you to achieve these goals. 

Here are a few tips on long-term goals:

• Write down your long-term goals. 
• Research on these goals.
• Write down strategies you will take to achieve these goals. 
• Choose a career that matches your goals.
• Apply to any college that will align with your goals.

3. High-School Resume

A high school resume is also among the 10 things to know and do before applying for college. Nowadays, most colleges need your high school resume before accepting you. 

High-school resumes show a college’s admission management the kind of person you are (for instance, your character) more than a personal essay. Hence, you need to have a good high-school resume. 

You don’t need an employment history or a part-time job to create an outstanding resume. Your resume has to show your recent achievements and extracurricular activities. Other information you can add to your resume include:

• Community service experience
• Your high school statistics, for example, your graduation date, SAT or ACT scores, and GPA.
• Your leadership positions.
• Your academic honours, recognitions, and awards. 
• Your skills and hobbies related to the college you are applying for. 

4. College and degree options

There are thousands of colleges in the world and not all of them are meant for you. Before you apply for any college, you need to make a list of the colleges that match your career. For instance, as someone who wants to pursue a career in fashion, you cannot start applying to colleges that provide only software development programs.

Also, you need to know the kind of degree that a college awards at the end of the program. These degree options can be bachelor’s master’s, certificate, or doctoral degrees. 

5. Distance from home

The distance from your home to the college of your choice is one of the ten things to know and do before applying for college. You can ask yourself questions like:

• Will I be able to stay in any college far away from my hometown?
• How far is the college from my residence?’

However, applying for college far away from your home is an added advantage. It will help you improve your independence and life skills. You will learn to rely on yourself more and not on your guardians or parents.  

6. Boarding options

Check out the boarding options that a college gives before you apply for it. The most common type of boarding in colleges is the traditional boarding. Traditional boarding comprises residential living for students with strict schedules. 

Other boarding options include therapeutic, military, international, and arts boarding. Before you apply for college, ask yourself these questions:

• Will I be able to stay in a boarding college?
• Can I tolerate 2 students in the same boarding room?
• Can I afford to stay off-campus (rent an apartment close to college)?

With these questions answered you will know the kind of college you choose before applying. 

7. Opportunities for extracurricular activity

You may want to take a break from educational activities and this is where extracurricular activities come in. Examples of extracurricular activities in colleges include volunteering opportunities, sports, cheerleading, dance, gymnastics, dance, martial arts, and music. 

You must research the college you choose, to know if they have extracurricular activities. Extracurricular activities in college can make you feel more comfortable and relaxed. You can even make new friends (build a network) with similar interests.

8. College size

The size of a college is one of the ten 10 things you need to know and do before applying for college. You can choose a college with small classes or large class sizes.

Colleges with large class sizes are best for students who can learn better through listening and reviewing their notes on their own. 

On the other hand, colleges with small classes are best for students who learn better when engaged in small group discussions. This small group can comprise teachers and other students.

9. Financial options

Once you have listed out the colleges you want to apply to, research the finances to study in the college. The finances can be:

• The type of grants or scholarships that the college gives. 
• Tuition 
• Meal plans
• Personal expenses
• On-campus housing, and other miscellaneous. 

10. SAT/ACT test-taking strategies

Many colleges will ask for SAT or ACT scores from applicants. SAT and ACT is an assessment of students’ understanding of their high school coursework (for instance, mathematics, English, and reading). So, before applying to a college, prepare for your SAT or ACT. Read and review past questions.

Conclusion

There are thousands of private and public colleges you can apply to further your education or career goals. Check out this article to see the top 10 things to know and do before applying for college. Some of these things include career options, college size, financial options, long-term goals, and high-school resumes. Make use of these steps to get admitted to a college that aligns with your education and career goals.