How Do I Get to College?

There are dozens (even hundreds!) of things you can do to prepare for a college career. Your school’s Guidance Counselor is an excellent person to help you complete the steps. Meanwhile, we can get you started on the college path with Big Three Steps.

Three for Freshmen

1. Keep your grades up. Duh!
2. Get involved. College entry boards love students with a resume of extracurricular and volunteer work.
3. Meet with your guidance counselor. Getting you into college is part of their job!

What Else?

• Take the Arkansas Smart Core
• Start a college savings fund
• Consider taking AP and dual-credit courses
• Get a real college application so you can see exactly what colleges are looking for

Three for Sophomores

1. Take the pre-SAT or pre-ACT tests. Train your brain!
2. Make a list of colleges you like. Eyes on the prize.
3. Research careers that interest you. This can really help you decide where to go after high school.

What Else?

• Keep your grades up
• Visit your guidance counselor
• Do volunteer work
• Keep active with extracurricular activities

Three for Juniors

1. Take the ACT and the SAT. Some colleges accept scores from one or the other or both.
2. Start looking for scholarships.  Look online, check your school database and check out this site for information on scholarships and financial aid.
3. Write your scholarship essays.  Get them critiqued and proofread by a teacher.

What Else?

• Narrow down your school search
• Visit some college campuses
• Compile a resumé

Three for Seniors

1. Take the ACT or SAT again. You can always do better. Unless you’re perfect, Genius.
2. Apply to your top three or five schools.
3. Fill out and submit your UNIVERSAL AID APPLICATION.

What Else?

• Get letters of recommendation (employers and teachers, no relatives!)
• Proofread all your applications
• Your grades and involvement still matter
• Make sure you, your guidance counselor and your parents are all on the same page