How to Prepare for College While Being a Student in High School

Loren Trujillo |

It is never too early to start preparing for college in high school, whether it’s your first year as a freshman or going into your senior year. Some big factors that come with planning for college is your financial situation, your extracurriculars, and your academic performance. As a senior in high school, I have learned that there are not a lot of things to apply for like scholarships and financial aid up until your senior year but you can still prepare in your first few years of high school. Here are some tips on how to prepare yourself for college.

 

Start Planning Early

It is never too early to start preparing and planning for college, whether you are just getting started in high school or it’s your last year. Some things that you can do to prepare are focus on your extracurriculars, keeping up on your grades, and taking advanced classes.

  • Extracurriculars : Participate in sports and/or volunteer work, not only will this help you when applying for college but when you can apply for scholarships.
  • Grades : Make sure you aim for a 4.0 GPA, if not, try to keep above a 3.5 GPA so it looks good when applying for colleges.
  • Taking AP/Honors Classes : Taking advanced placement classes help you not only prepare for college but also can help you save money if you can get college credit for classes while still in high school.

Financially Plan for College

Research how much your tuition is for different colleges, fill out as many scholarships as you can, fill out your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), have a savings account and budget your money.

  • Tuition : All colleges offer different costs, make sure to research how much your tuition will be and how much money a college is willing to offer you depending on your financial situation or your smarts.
  • Scholarships : Watch out for scholarship opening dates and deadlines in your junior year and mostly your senior year, this is where you will get your money's worth. Apply for as many scholarships as possible. 
  • FAFSA : Filling out your FAFSA is essential when getting federal and state aid, apply for your FAFSA in your senior year and look out for the opening dates and fill it out as soon as possible. (Applying sooner = More money)
  • Savings Accounts and Budgeting Money : Learn how to budget your money by following a 50-20-30 guideline with your income. (50% - financial needs, 20% - savings, 30% - wants) Having a savings account like a 529 plan is also great for a high school student so you won’t be tempted to touch or spend your money.

 

College is a big step in your future and might seem a little scary while you are still in high school but following these steps will help you feel more confident and prepared when applying for colleges and actually being in college. Take every opportunity you can and your future college self will thank you!