College & Career FAQs
What can I do in middle school to prepare for my future?
It is never too early to start planning for your future! Most students at this age have no clue what they want to do with their future and that is completely normal. Start thinking about what subjects you enjoy or what you like to do in your free time. Oftentimes, this will help give you clues about what may be a good career option for you. It is also important to work hard in school and develop good work habits to set yourself up for future success. Colleges will not see your middle school grades; however, working hard now will help prepare you for high school.
If you are thinking about attending college, you can begin visiting college campuses in the area or whenever you are on vacation! This will help give you ideas on what you are looking for in a college campus once you get to high school! For example, some college campuses are HUGE while others can be quite small. Taking a college campus tour will help you decide which campus size you prefer!
The school counselors are also always available if you would like to discuss future plans and what you can do to prepare.
What resources can I use to research colleges and careers?
One good website to research colleges is www.bigfuture.org. They have lots of helpful tips for exploring careers and how to begin your college search. If you are interested in a particular school, you can also obtain information about their admission process from this website. You can also visit the school's website directly and look at their admission page.
One good website to research careers is https://www.onetonline.org/. You can type in any career in their search bar and it will display related fields. Once you click on a particular career, it will tell you all about the career including: necessary skills, salary, education needed, and much more.
What do colleges look at for admission?
Every college uses their own admission criteria; however, some important factors to consider when applying to college are the following:
1. GPA
2. Class Rank
3. ACT/SAT Score
4. Strength of Schedule
5. Clubs/Organizations
6. Volunteer Hours
When would I begin actually applying for colleges?
The best time to begin is the summer before your senior year of high school. Most students end up completing their applications during the fall of their senior year.
What if I don't want to attend 4-year college?
There are many options after high school besides college including military, vocational school, and the workforce. It is all about finding the right fit for each student based upon their future goals. There are many career options that do not require additional education beyond a high school diploma; however, there are other careers that require a 2-year vocational program. Other students decide to join the military straight out of high school and receive specific job training while they serve. Some of these students attend college after their time in the service.