This article is part one of a three-part series on preparing for college. COVID has thrown a wrench in many students’ plans and experiences for college over the past couple of years, but we’re finally returning to a normal state. As students prepare for graduation, they need to be proactive to ensure they have a successful college experience that will set them up for graduation.
As we move into the spring semester, many high school juniors and seniors will discuss their college options over the holiday break. As students enter their junior year, it’s an ideal time to start having conversations about what the student would like to pursue after graduation. Not everyone will want to pursue a four-year university, and many options are available, ranging from trade school, community college, and military academies. The start of your junior year is the ideal time to research your post-high school options. You will find not all universities or two-year programs are the same. Moreover, some universities specialize in specific degrees, so if you desire a more specialized program (i.e., law school, nursing, engineering), you will likely need to broaden your search parameters to find the ideal program.
As you begin your research, one of the likely topics that will come up is cost. If you decide to pursue college in a different state than you live in, you will likely have to pay out-of-state tuition, which will be higher than in-state. I will discuss paying for college and student loans later but keep in mind that it will be more expensive to go out of state for college. As you research various colleges, begin to form a list of your top schools, noting the application requirements and deadlines for applying as they will vary. Once you’ve developed a list and depending on the location, you may decide to conduct a visit to that university. I highly recommend doing college visits whenever possible, even virtual ones. A visit will give you an understanding of what the campus offers and the college’s city. Not all schools are the same, so knowing what each college offers can significantly assist decision-making when applying. The visit will also allow you to see the dorms, the dining facility, and the athletic departments.
Over the past couple of years, many schools have adjusted their admission requirements regarding standardized testing. For a long time, your ACT/SAT score was a significant indicator of what school you would be eligible to get accepted to. Since the start of COVID, we’ve seen a considerable shift in many universities eliminating the ACT/SAT score as part of the admission application for undergraduates. This is a massive relief for many high school students; however, many schools still require the score as part of their application. Many universities state on their websites that there is not a minimal ACT/SAT score for acceptance, but trends of averages can be found online. As students begin their research on possible universities to attend, pay close attention to the application requirements to see if the ACT/SAT score will be needed. Typically, the ACT/SAT is taken at the end of the junior year or the beginning of the senior year, not accounting for retests. If a standardized test score is needed for your ideal university, then the start of your junior year is the best time to double your efforts in preparing for the test. Countless study guides can be ordered online or purchased in your local bookstore. Additionally, some local programs/companies offer personalized tutoring to assist students in their preparations. Be sure to get ahead of the studying, especially if you struggle with specific topics or standardized tests.
As students begin to look at their college options, one area that is greatly overlooked is their local community college. For years, community colleges have been given a bad reputation; however, I would argue that they are among the most underrated avenues for high school graduates. Student debt can be a crippling burden for many young adults after college graduation and can follow them for years, if not decades, paying thousands of dollars in interest. Additionally, while President Biden has attempted to forgive up to $10,000 in student debt, that action is currently tied up in the courts, with no final decision in sight anytime soon. In my part two article, I’ll cover student loans more in-depth but know that it can be far too easy to take out excessive loans that could severely affect post-college. Attending a community college can be a great way to cut the cost of college significantly and open an array of opportunities. Attending a community college for the first two years and then transferring to a university can be a massive cost-saving approach that is often overlooked. Moreover, it’s common to find highly qualified community college instructors as many leave prominent universities to retire elsewhere and end up teaching a lesser class load at a community college.
For some reason, the negative stigma of a community college persists. Still, many potential students don’t understand that when they transfer to a university and graduate, their diploma looks the same as someone who attended the school for the entire four years. The difference is that the student who transferred paid significantly less for the first two years than their peers. When starting college, students must take general education (Gen Eds) classes such as English, math, and science. While many students will attend a four-year school, paying full tuition for these Gen Eds, they could easily be taken at a community college for a fraction of the cost and then transfer those credits later to a university they want to graduate from. While universities have specific requirements that must be met for a class credit to transfer, many community colleges design their courses to be able to transfer to nearby four-year schools. In North Carolina, for example, all state universities (i.e., University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University) must accept community college Gen Eds. This means taking English 101 at a community college is 100% equivalent to English 101 at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. To further illustrate this, one 3-credit class at UNC Chapel Hill will cost you $877.38 for in-state tuition, and a local NC community, college 3-credit class, will cost $228.00. That’s roughly a $649.00 savings for just one class! The minimum credits for a full-time student are 12 credits per semester. If you attend a community college for two years (four semesters), that could be a total savings of over $10,000, and you’ll end up with the exact degree as everyone else.
If you decide to pursue a community college for the first year or two and then transfer to a university, ensure to research the university’s requirements/standards to transfer in credits. Many universities and local community colleges have articulation agreements, meaning the university has reviewed a community college’s classes and has agreed to accept them if transferred in. The community college and university can assist you with this information. Still, it’s critical to do the research upfront, so you don’t take classes at a community college that will not be accepted to your university of choice. This could be an issue if you were attempting to transfer from a community college to a private university with specific requirements different from public universities.
As we advance, many options are available to high school students, but they require research to find the best fit. All schools are not identical, and some will likely be better suited than others, so conduct a visit whenever possible. Gaining that understanding will significantly aid in deciding which school is best for your long-term goals. Be sure not to overlook the community college option, as it may fit into your college plan nicely.
Be sure to follow my part two article of this college series, where I’ll cover the risks of student loans/debt and scholarships.