How To Prepare For College In High School

While four years may seem too far ahead in the future, high school students should be preparing for college as early as their freshman year, if not sooner. From your first day to your last, the time spent in high school and the decisions you make will affect your college plans and your future. Feeling a little nervous? Don't worry, it happens to everyone. For starters, use this essential guide to help you prepare for college in high school to assure your future plans are met without any complications.

Step 1. Find Out What Schools You Would Like to Attend

Choosing the college you wish to attend is your first order of business. This may be a difficult task, especially if you have your heart set on multiple institutions. Plus, there is the possibility you may change your mind in the future. Fortunately, you can choose multiple colleges you wish to apply to instead of just one. It is important to get an idea of what colleges you'd like to attend as early as possible when you begin your high school education. Certain colleges have a list of requirements for students who wish to enroll, ranging from classes taken in high school to extracurricular activities.

Step 2. Take the Required Classes

Academic requirements may vary between different colleges, although most four-year colleges share similar requirements. The United States Department of Education has provided a list of classes that most four-year colleges require that students can use to help plan their high school classes:

• English (Four Years): American Literature, Composition, English Literature and World Literature.
• Mathematics (Three to Four Years): Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Calculus, Pre-Calculus and Trigonometry.
• History and Geography (Two to Three Years): Civics, Geography, U.S. History, U.S. Government, World History and World Cultures.
• Laboratory Science (Two to Four Years): Biology, Chemistry, Earth Science and Physics.
• Foreign Language (Two to Four Years): Spanish, French, German or any other foreign language offered at your high school.
• Visual and Performing Arts (One Year): Art, Dance, Drama and Music.
• Approved Electives (One to Three Years): Communications, Computer Science, Economics, Psychology and Statistics.

Much of the core high school curriculum will automatically fulfill most of these academic requirements for a four-year college. Be sure to meet with your student counselor to ensure you are on the right track towards preparing for college in high school.

Step 3. Extra-Curricular Activities

Many colleges value participation in extra-curricular activities, especially certain clubs and programs, like clubs that do charitable work or are known throughout the nation. Make sure you aren't focusing all of your time on just your studies. Getting involved with the student body, running for class council, playing high school sports, volunteering and/or gaining work experience are important, extra-curricular activities to help you gain acceptance from your desired college. Just remember not to put too much on your plate. It's not worth getting involved in too many extra-curricular activities if your grades suffer. Maintaining a balance between the two will make you look that much more appealing to college recruiters.

Step 4. The SAT or ACT

The SAT and ACT are standardized tests that most colleges require you to take. While many colleges accept either SAT or ACT test scores, certain colleges only accept scores from one of the tests. You should begin studying for these tests as early as your freshman year. Heading into your sophomore year, you should plan on taking practice tests for the SAT or ACT. All throughout high school, you'll need to come up with a schedule that balances SAT or ACT study time. It may add extra pressure and stress on top of your studies and extra-curricular activities, which is why it is important to start studying early. Early preparations will allow you to spread out your study time so you don't burn out. Plan on taking the actual SAT or ACT during your junior and senior years of high school.

Step 5. College Credits

You can earn college credits in high school through advanced placement, or AP, courses. Most colleges will accept AP course work in high school, depending on what you score on the AP tests. Many four-year colleges will only give full credit for scores of 4 or higher, where the best possible AP score is a 5. In certain cases, you can earn partial credit for scores of a 3, which is the minimum passing score for AP tests.

Step 6. College Applications and Essays

The final step on how to prepare for college in high school is to start mailing your college applications to the colleges of your choosing. You will also need to complete your college essay, which is a necessary requirement for your college applications. Your college essay will inform the college recruiters why you wish to attend their college and what your future plans are. Often times, your high school senior English class will devote some time to helping you write your college application essay.