Going to College 101

College is on the horizon, and the idea of applying to schools, as well as preparing to attend the one you choose, can feel a little overwhelming. There’s a lot to do, and also a lot to learn about the process. But if you take it in chunks a little at a time, you’ll be fine. And we’re to help guide you. 

Your first class, “Going to College 101,” is now in session. Let’s start.

When should you start thinking about college?

It’s good to have a general idea of your post-high school plans in the back of your mind as soon as you begin high school, but by your sophomore or junior year you should really start preparing for college. (If you haven’t done any of this yet, don’t worry. You’ll still be fine.) And by senior year, you should be taking action to get ready for college the following year, including taking the ACT or SAT, researching colleges, and taking campus tours.

What classes should you take to prepare for college?

Taking AP or honors courses in high school can help you get ahead before you even start college, as well as prepare you for the type of coursework you’re going to have at the university level.

Which tests should you take for admission to college?

You should take the ACT or SAT. Some colleges require test scores for admission, while others, including ASU, use ACT and SAT scores to determine merit scholarship award amounts. You may also be required to take a math placement test after you choose a college so you’re placed at the appropriate math level.

How important are GPA and extracurriculars?

Some colleges accept a GPA under 3.00, and others don’t. It depends which college you want to go to. If a college says they don’t accept anything less than a 3.00, you can see if they offer conditional admission. This is where you might not meet posted admission requirements, but the college will review you anyway on an individual basis, and may still accept you based on some of your other accomplishments or circumstances.

ASU and some other colleges require students to simply meet admission standards and they’re in, while others take extracurriculars into account. You should check out the admission requirements of the colleges you’re interested in for specific details. See ASU admission requirements here.

Attend college fairs

You should explore several different colleges. One way to do that is by attending a college fair. There you can collect college brochures and other materials and talk to lots of college representatives. You can learn about the program you want to study, financial aid, housing, extracurriculars, the campus, student life and more. You’ll probably need to take notes because you’ll be talking to so many representatives and getting lots of information.

Submitting college applications

You should try to apply to all the colleges you want to attend, but know that each university charges an application fee. They’re not particularly cheap and they can add up pretty quickly. Still, you should definitely apply to more than one school — if you don’t get into your dream college, you’ll still have other options to choose from.

When applying to colleges, make sure you meet all the admission requirements and application deadlines of the schools you’re considering. Getting good grades helps, so you should study, study, study throughout high school. Also, as part of your application, make sure colleges know about any leadership roles you’ve assumed, recognitions you’ve earned or unique experiences you’ve had. 

If you don’t get into your dream college, there are plenty of other great colleges out there and you just might land in one that’s a better fit. And if you don't get admitted to a college, there may be alternate pathways to get there, including starting classes at a community college and then transferring. 

The college journey

Your college journey can be as long or as short as you want it to be. If you’re attending college full time, you can expect to spend about four years pursuing your undergraduate degree. Of course, this varies — some students need to take classes part time, repeat a class or take a semester off, which can delay graduation. Other students complete their degree in fewer than four years by taking more classes each semester than the average full-time load. If you do that, you should be prepared to spend most of your time in class or studying.

Good luck on your college admissions journey.