4 Tips for High Schoolers Applying for College

College prepares you intellectually and socially as you get ready to start your adult life. The right college will give you career choices, opportunities for personal growth, and a network of new friends. If you’re planning to go to college, now is the time to start preparing to help your chances of getting into the school you want. Here are a few tips to help.

Keep your grades up

Your grade point average (GPA) significantly determines your college admission prospects. Keeping your high school academic grades makes it easier to get admitted to the college of your dreams. Your final score in high school is either awarded in percentage form (90%, 87%, etc.) or is given in letters (A, A-, B+, etc.) and then converted into numbers (1.0 to 4.0) to determine the average and create your GPA.

Your GPA is a representation of how you performed academically in high school. It says a lot about your intelligence, ability, and work ethic. Colleges use GPAs to compare various applicants during selection processes. It’s easier than going through endless transcripts to see each individual grade.

It’s essential to start thinking about your GPA early enough to make the necessary improvements. There are plenty of ways to calculate a GPA, including weighted credit hours, using Excel, or percentage-based calculation.

If you got good grades in middle school, improve your GPA by including them. You can also improve your GPA by enrolling in summer school, retaking a class or asking your teachers for assistance. Finding a tutor might help you improve your weaknesses and perform well in class.

Take up meaningful extracurricular activities

Besides your academic performance, colleges also factor extracurricular activities. The admission officers will want to see how you spend your free time and what role you play in making your community better. It’s important to develop a plan that includes a slot for extracurricular activities, especially during the 9th and 10th grades.

Find an activity you’re good at and enjoy doing. This might be sports, debate club, drama, woodwork, music, culture, or social activism, among many other choices. Besides impressing universities, these activities allow you to develop skills such as time management and leadership that you’ll use for the rest of your life.

By taking part in a variety of activities, you’ll get to learn what you enjoy and what you’re best at. Colleges want to develop a class of individuals with specialized skills. Picking one extracurricular activity and giving it your all goes a long way in attracting the school of your choice. You should also aim to demonstrate leadership in everything you choose to do.  Universities prefer students who will make an impact on the school and leave a lasting impression.

Take SAT/ACT prep classes

The thought of sitting for the SAT, ACT, and other standardized tests is a stressful one for many high school students. Passing these tests improves your chances of securing a scholarship and joining your dream school.

As you prepare to sit for a standardized test, keep in mind that you’ve been taking tests at school for many years. This one isn’t any different, and that thought can help reduce your anxiety. Come up with an effective action plan by examining whether or not you perform better in specific test formats than others, and if you tend to run out of time before you can finish a test.

You can take free prep classes on the internet through resources such as websites and applications. There are also affordable books that provide helpful information, sample questions, and even full practice tests. Additionally, you can use flashcards to help you memorize essential facts.

Make use of a college acceptance calculator

Use a college acceptance calculator to see how you stack up to other students. This calculator helps you assess your chances of securing a spot in a particular college. If your prospects are low, you can make adjustments as needed.

The calculator gives you a chance to find out what certain colleges care about most. It also allows you to compare your performance to that school’s current freshmen.

Applying for college is an exciting time in your life! These tips can help you feel less stressed and enjoy this time as it deserves.


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