Preparing for College: A Comprehensive Checklist
The prospect of preparing for college can seem daunting, but with the right information and a structured approach, it can be a smooth and even enjoyable process. This comprehensive checklist will guide you through the essential steps, from exploring your options to settling into campus life.
Early Exploration and Campus Visits
Visiting a college campus, if possible, is extremely useful. A campus visit is usually one of the first items you can check off your college-prep list, and often occurs before you apply to any schools. The summer before your senior year of high school is an ideal time to start visiting campuses. Visits can be personalized, part of a group visit day, or even virtual. Asking questions of faculty members, department heads, and current students can provide invaluable information that can guide you in an eventual college decision.
Academic Preparation
Focus on Academics and Explore Interests
High school students can begin preparing for college as soon as their freshman or sophomore year by focusing on academics, thinking about what they like to do by doing some career exploration, and pursuing a healthy dose of extracurricular activities that can spark their interest in possible college majors.
Challenging Coursework
Talk to an advisor or school counselor about taking Advanced Placement® and honors courses to get ahead. Work with their school counselors to create a yearly schedule that keeps them on track to meet graduation and college admissions requirements. They can also help them explore ways to graduate high school ahead of schedule.
Standardized Tests
Begin to prepare for the ACT or SAT. Plan to take at least one of these tests in the spring. Take the SATs and ACTs for the first time.
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Financial Aid and Scholarships
Complete Your Financial Aid Application
College is a hefty financial commitment, whether you plan to attend a small private college or a large public university, tuition can cost several thousand dollars per semester. You will need to fill out financial aid documents like the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), which opens in December 2023. To finalize your aid, check to see if the financial aid office needs any additional information or documentation; make sure you have accepted aid that was offered to you; complete entrance loan counseling; and sign your master promissory note if you intend to borrow federal student loans. Often, your financial aid counselor will do this with you if you request an appointment.
Apply for Honors Programs and Scholarships
Scholarship money can add up quickly and be a crucial resource in the process of paying for college. Check deadlines and apply to honors programs and for scholarships earlier rather than later! Scholarship money can add up quickly and be a crucial resource in the process of paying for college.
Application Process
Research Colleges and Universities
Start researching colleges and universities. Go to college fairs and open houses. Begin planning college visits. Try to visit colleges near you over spring break. Develop a preliminary list of colleges that interest you. Take a look at some college applications. Make note of all the pieces of information you will need to compile. Begin thinking about your applications.
Pay Attention to Deadlines
As soon as the summer before your senior year (or even sooner, in some cases), some big deadlines are going to come your way. These can include anything from deadlines for turning in scholarship essays, to completing the FAFSA, to reporting ACT and SAT scores to your university of choice. Make a list of important deadlines that are coming up and stick to it. This spares you the feeling of dread that can come with realizing that you have missed the deadline to complete something important.
Preparing for Campus Life
Make a Packing List and Go Shopping
For some students, this item on the college-prep checklist is the most fun. Dorm décor in the form of plants, cute rugs, and pleasing desk organizers can be exciting to buy, and it can even be enjoyable to buy towels, bedding, or new books. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of college-shopping enjoyment, it is a crucial stage of the journey to college preparation. Part of your packing list should also include essential documents like a copy of your health insurance card, your car insurance (if applicable), and your driver’s license. Most colleges will have a list of items that are not allowed in the residence halls and may also have a suggested packing list. You also can find suggested packing lists like the one found here.
Read also: When to Start Digital SAT Prep
Don’t Forget School Supplies
In the hectic period that is the time between your high school graduation and your first day of college, you are bound to have a lot to think about. However, don’t let school supplies be something that you fail to think about! Yes, college is quite different from high school, but you still need pencils, pens, and notebooks - even a backpack, which will come in handy when you need to walk across campus to a class. And do not forget that in college, textbooks are the student’s responsibility. You can either rent or buy your textbooks depending on the books you need. First, visit your campus bookstore online or in-person and see what the cost is to rent or buy your books from them. You can then compare those prices to other online textbook services like Chegg, Amazon, and other used bookstores. Things to consider: Do you need an online access code? Used books will typically not come with these. When do you need your textbooks?
Housing and Meal Plans
See if the residence halls close during winter, spring, or summer, or if you can stay year round. If the residence halls close during breaks, reach out to the Housing office to see if you can secure housing during this time. Often, first-year students are required to have a meal plan. Identify where the dining halls are located, the hours of operation, and how long it takes to walk there in between classes. If you can afford it, it is recommended to have at least two dining hall meals per day to ensure that you will have enough food throughout the semester.
Connecting with Roommates
Reach Out to Your Roommate Rather than waiting for move-in day to make an introduction, reach out to your roommate before you both get to campus. Opening this dialogue can also help sort out furnishing your dorm room. Building a relationship with your roommate and getting to know him or her before the two of you ever live together is an essential step in establishing a strong future friendship.
Important Documents
Gather Important Documents Before you get to campus, gather essential college documents, such as your driver’s license, your Social Security card, and a copy of your birth certificate. You should also ensure you have a copy of your health insurance card. Bringing official school documents to campus, such as those containing scholarship or financial aid information, is a good idea, too.
After Arrival on Campus
Get to Know the Campus and Surrounding Area
Taking time to explore campus and the surrounding area can make you feel better about moving to an unfamiliar place and add to the excitement of living somewhere new. Familiarize yourself with on-campus essentials like residence halls, libraries, and class buildings. And don’t forget to seek out a few off-campus spots, like cafes, grocery stores, and restaurants.
Read also: Comprehensive Guide
Attend Orientation
While you might have visited your school before enrolling, attending orientation offers a formal introduction that provides you and your peers with essential information to help you acclimate to college life. At orientation, you can introduce yourself to future classmates, meet professors, and familiarize yourself with campus facilities. Additionally, many students take advantage of the opportunity to talk with an academic advisor to discuss their academic goals and class schedules.
Review Your Class Schedule
Before classes start, review your schedule so you know when and where your classes are. If you need to make changes to your schedule, do so by your institution’s set deadlines for adding, dropping, or swapping classes. Contact your academic advisor if you need assistance with making changes to your class schedule. If you need to make changes to your schedule, talk to your advisor. Most colleges allow you to add or drop classes within the first couple of weeks of a semester. Walk through your class schedule so that you’re able to easily find your classes on the first day. Do you need to swap classes due to a timing conflict, unanticipated course load or the desire to have a different professor?
Accessing Online Resources
Log into your school portal including your student account, and the learning system your institution uses. Through these, you’ll get access to course information and a way to connect with administrators, instructors, and fellow learners.
Syllabus Review
Read and Print Out Your Class Syllabi Before classes start, read over your class syllabi. Getting to know your professors’ expectations and attendance policies will put you on a path toward success. You should also know what reading materials, textbooks, and supplies you’ll need for the semester.
Get Vaccinated
To ensure the safety of the student population, most institutions require incoming learners to get several standard vaccinations against infectious diseases like measles, HPV, and meningitis. Additionally, many schools now require learners to get a COVID-19 vaccine to help reduce community spread.
Personal Well-being and Goals
Set Some Goals
Your freshman year of college is likely to be a uniquely challenging time in your life. Most freshmen are living away from home for the first time; many are living in a different city than their hometown and facing new academic pressures. Setting goals - that is, realistic goals - for your freshman year of college can benefit you both in the short- and long-term. These goals could be academic or personal. Setting goals is a vital step on the path to having a great college experience.
Staying Connected
As your time at home before you begin your first year of college winds down, even if you are not moving far away, take time with the important people in your life. Your parents, friends who will attend different universities, and other people who you may not see as much during your time at college are all people with whom you may want to spend time in the period before you begin college.
Extracurricular Activities and Campus Engagement
Attend a Student Activities Fair Attending a student activities fair facilitates on-campus engagement and helps you meet like-minded students. Engaging in extracurricular activities can also bolster your resume. Through sports, cultural events, and civic engagement, you can make friends outside the classroom and enliven your college experience. This is a great way to make new friends and meet staff at your school.
Important Considerations
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
If you are receiving financial aid, make sure that you are meeting your school’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) and you remain eligible for financial aid.
Summer Planning
Are you taking summer classes, working, or doing an internship? Start planning and preparing for the summer now.
On-Campus Housing During Breaks
Your campus might keep some of the residence halls open over the break, but they might require you to fill out a form or application to stay there. The earlier you fill it out, the more aid you can get! Can you remain on-campus? What is the application process like?
Withdrawals
Do you need to withdraw from a class or multiple classes?
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