College Planning and Preparation Information
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In order to be accepted at competitive colleges you need:
- A strong Grade Point Average (GPA)
- Strong SAT or ACT scores
- To take challenging courses such as PreAP and AP
- A demonstrated, well rounded student experience; such as participation in athletics, clubs, and other student organizations
- Job and volunteer experience in the community is a definite plus
- Leadership roles, large or small
- Good essay writing skills
Getting Started:
- Find out what the college you want to attend requires for high school courses to be accepted into their program.
- Consult with your counselor to be sure you are taking all the courses you need, not only to graduate, but to be accepted into your selected college.
- Prepare for the college entrance exams and take them early in case you need to re-take to make higher scores.
- Organize your college selection materials, college entrance exams, and essay writing materials. Refer to them often checking dates for scholarships, financial assistance, registration, and admission deadlines.
Federal Financial Aid (FAFSA)
Apply Early for FAFSA!
Apply for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Get help paying for college. Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education, is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation. At the office of Federal Student Aid, 1,200 employees help make college education possible for every dedicated mind by providing more than $150 billion in federal grants, loans, and work-study funds each year to more than 15 million students paying for college or career school.
Click here to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Get 2 College
Click the picture to access the Get 2 College website.
College Planning Tools
College Search Engines
MS Four Year Universities
MS Junior and Community Colleges
Campus Tours
CampusTours.Com
College Board College Search
collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search
Peterson’s Guide to Colleges
petersons.com/college-search.aspx
College Atlas University and College Search
College Source Online - Features over 10,000 college catalogs
http://www.collegesource.org/idxsearch.asp
Two Year Colleges
Historically Black Colleges
http://www.edonline.com/cq/hbcu
Black Excel - College and Scholarship Information for African American students
Art Institutes - A website dedicated to matching students interested in Arts in college
Landmark College- This college is specifically designed to help students with Learning Disabilities and ADHD gain their associate degree and the tools necessary to advance their education to a four year university.
My Majors.com - A website dedicated to helping students find the right major for their interests.
College Net
https://cnsearch.collegenet.com/cnsearch/#/
AnyCollege.com
My College Options
http://www.mycollegeoptions.org
Schools in the USA
http://www.schoolsintheusa.com
College Rankings
Princeton Review
princetonreview.com/college-rankings.aspx
Kiplinger's
http://www.kiplinger.com/tool/college/T014-S001-kiplinger-s-best-values-in-public-colleges/index.php
U. S. News College Rankings