Everyone always says it’s never too early to start thinking about the college admission process, and honestly, they are right. There are several steps that you can take early on that will benefit you in the long run. From finding a college admission counselor to writing down future deadlines, you can never start planning for college too early. At Empowerly, we pride ourselves in helping you be as prepared as possible for college. As you start to plan ahead for college, here are a few points to keep in mind:
Find a college counselor
One of the best ways to get ahead of the admission process is to find a college counselor. Student’s first thoughts are to reach out to their high school counselor. However, they often find that high school counselors are too busy handling hundreds of students. Sometimes, it’s better to find a college admission counselor somewhere else. Our qualified college counselors are an excellent option if you are looking to start planning for college. Empowerly’s college admission counselors solely focus on ensuring your success.. They will stand by you from the beginning to the end, always ready to answer questions or address any concerns that you might have. Our counselors can help you schedule your high school classes, write and edit your admission essay, and help prepare you for possible interviews. We are here to help you succeed and get into the school of your dreams. Schedule a free consultation with our Enrollment Team to connect with one of our qualified college counselors so you can start planning for your future today.
Consider which schools you want to apply to
After finding the right college counselor, you should turn your attention to which colleges you are interested in. The idea of selecting colleges might seem stressful, but talking to your college counselor and making a list can help alleviate some of the unknown. Start with the simple stuff, location, college size, and environment. Then do your research, what is this college known for, what should you expect, and what do they expect from you. After you have a general idea of which colleges you are interested in, make a list. Start with your dream school, and work your way down to safety schools. If you still don’t have an exact idea of where you want to go, let your counselor know, and they will give you tips to help narrow down the list. Your college counselor knows your goals and future plans, so they will have no problem narrowing down your scope and making sure that you find the perfect college for you. Remember, this list isn’t set in stone, and you can always add or remove schools.
Look at the requirements
Now, it’s time to take a deep dive into the admission requirements of your selected schools. Requirements will vary depending on the school; some schools may only look at your GPA and SAT/ACT score, while others might want essays, recommendation letters, and interviews. It’s also a good idea to begin your college applications early, so that you don’t get overwhelmed or even miss a deadline. You should create a calendar with important deadline dates to help you keep you on track. With this in mind, our skilled college counselors can help you plan and prepare in advance so that you will be able to meet all of the requirements and deadlines when the time comes.
Always have a safety school
A safety school is a school that you or your college counselor are strongly confident that you will get in. Schools with rolling admissions are often good safety schools because if the student meets their prerequisites, typically a certain GPA and SAT/ACT score, they are almost guaranteed to be admitted. Talk with your college admission counselor about applying to a school whose basic requirements you meet. This way, you’ll always have peace of mind knowing that you have a solid plan B.
Planning for college can be stressful, but you don’t have to do it alone. Schedule a free consultation with our Enrollment Team to help get you started. They will discuss your academic standing, educational interests, and work style. The information that you provide will be used to pair you with a counselor that is best suited for you. Your counselor will create a customized plan that will give you several things you can do now to better your chances later, including suggestions on which courses you should take, internship opportunities, and preparing your application materials. College is supposed to be an exciting new adventure so let our counselors help you with the hard stuff while you plan for your next big step.
