Preparing for college requires the same amount of work as taking an extra class, or picking up a second job. Students must save money, organize paperwork and transcripts, continue to excel in academics and extracurriculars, and prepare for standardized tests. When the application process begins, the work load increases with filling out the Common Application, writing essays, and filing for financial aid packages. Fortunately, these organization skills will simplify your next round of decisions, like choosing a major and maintaining academic excellence throughout your career.
Start Planning Early
We cannot stress enough the importance of scholarships and grants. College-based awards are given on a first-come, first-served basis. Still, most students need to supplement their financial aid package. If possible, apply for early admission so you can compare awards and determine if you need to apply for other scholarships.
Major Decisions
Some students already know their intended major, and others wait to make that decision. Regardless of when you choose your major, and what major you choose, consider taking classes outside your field of study. Having experience outside your major will make you a more marketable job applicant. Being versatile will also make changing career paths an easy task.
ACT, Inc., the college admissions testing company, has agreed to pay out $16 million to 65,728 California students with disabilities to settle a class-action lawsuit. The class-action federal lawsuit filed in California in 2018 alleged that ACT, Inc. violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and California's Unruh Civil Rights Act by disclosing test-takers' disability status to colleges and scholarship organizations on score reports, and denied certain examinees with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in its Educational Opportunity Service. [...]
In response to the coronavirus pandemic and the way it has made it harder than ever to take the SAT and ACT, many colleges and universities, from large state universities to small liberal arts colleges, have announced that their admissions for next year’s Class of 2025 will be test-optional. Test-optional admissions mean that schools won’t require a submission of a standardized test score as part of the admissions process. But how will admissions officials judge applicants without a score? Will a student who doesn’t submit a standardized test score be penalized in any way? And will a student who does submit a score be chosen over one who doesn’t? [...]
Getting a college degree is part of the American Dream. College graduates generally earn more money and have a better quality of life. So it’s not surprising that students from immigrant families or who are immigrants themselves are making up an increasingly larger percentage of associate’s, bachelors and masters-seeking students in America. [...]
