Get Into College in 4 Simple Steps
Today I wanted to talk to you about the process that you go through to get into college.
I meet a lot of people at my job that for one reason or another don't want to go to school. They want to but they don't think that they can do it. Because they don't know! They don't know what it takes, what it takes to get into school, to get the process going.
So I hope that this will help you if you are thinking of going to school, there are a few things that you need to make sure you do.
Decide What You Want to Do Before You Get Into College
First, start by deciding what you want to do. You might already have this in mind, but decide what you want to do. Decide what you want to major in and that will often help you decide what college you wan to go to.
If you don't know what you want to do it might be better to start a t a community college or a technical college. The thing you might want to watch out for at a community college is that if you are planning on transferring to a university, make sure that that university accepts most, if not all, of your credits from that community college.
If you are going to be paying for them, you want to be able to transfer those to the university you want to go to so that you don't have to take them again.
Often times they do take at least part of the community college credits, but double check that with the university. Sometimes you can find that out online or by calling the transfer office at the university.
Fill Out The Admissions Applications To Get Into College
Number 2, you need to fill out your admission application. This is really, really, not a big deal. Sometimes you can fill it out right on line. You can often find it on the admission webpage of the school's website. Go there, look and see what they have there.
Often times you also need a high school transcript and if you are transferring a transcript from a previous school. This is not hard to do. you just need to call those school. Sometimes you have to pay a fee, but you want an official student transcript.
You may not need an official transcript. Call the admissions office and see if they need an official transcript or not. Just double check before you send your transcript.
You might also have to take placement tests, things like that. That's okay, just go and do it. Find out from the admission webpage or by calling the admissions office and after you have filled out the application, find out if there is anything else you need to do to get into the school.
Fill Out Financial Aid Applications
Number 3, fill out the financial aid application if you can. Let me give you an example why this is important. When I started my college career, I actually started out at a business school and I got $300 of financial aid awarded to me just by checking a box on my application.
It wasn't even a separate application, I just checked a box that asked if I would like to considered for financial aid. And I said, okay sure yeah and checked it. And I thought well, if I don't get anything, it didn't hurt me. A few weeks later I got a letter in the mail saying "Congratulations, you have received a financial aid award of $300 per semester."
That was awesome! All I had to do was check a box and I got financial aid. So as you are going through your applications, if there is anything that asks if you would like to be considered for financial aid, say yes! I don't know who wouldn't do this, but make sure you check your box. Make sure you fill out your fafsa.
Go to fafsa.ed.gov and you can start filling that out. It's the easiest way to get financial aid, student loans, pell grants, work study. It's the easiest way and the only way to get some financial aid.
Make sure you fill that out as soon as you ought to. That way you are going to get financial aid you need. Especially if you are an independent student living by yourself. Or are on your own, not getting any help from home, a fafsa is a must.
Choose Your Major and Notify the Department of that Major
Once you have filled out the admissions application and that financial aid applications, go to the department you want to major in and apply for that department. Make sure that you have declared your major. Sometimes this can be easily done.
It can sometimes be done online, sometimes just through email to the secretary of the department, but many times you want to go and talk to the secretary of the department and say "I would like to declare my major in this department, what do I need to do." They will take you into the process and sometimes do it for you just there. Make sure that you do that.
They might have questions or requirements, like tests, first that need to be taken care of. If so go take care of them. And, that way you can go into your major as soon as possible.
Just to review, the process of getting into school requires four things:
1- what do you want to major in,
2- filling out the application,
3- filling out the financial aid applications, and
4- declaring your major.
I hope this has helped you understand this process and good luck in your college career.
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