Am I Behind in the College Selection Process?

I’m a high school senior, it’s January, and I haven’t decided on a college yet. Should I have already decided?

The short answer is “no.”  You’re not behind because you haven’t DECIDED anything. It’s probably the norm to still be in that process, right now.  Scholarship deadlines are just now hitting…  You couldn’t even apply for financial aid until three weeks ago (at the earliest)…  So at this point, many decisions still have yet to be made.

However, you are behind if you haven’t DONE anything yet!  There’s a difference between thinking about college and actually taking action to try and figure out if you want to pursue a degree in criminal justice or another subject.  There is much groundwork that should have been done so you can make your decision in the coming weeks. 

If this is you, you’d better get moving!  Take these steps right away:

  • Generate a list of schools you are interested in, have a connection to, are geographically close by, or for some other reason are reasonable choices for you. Don’t worry right now whether they’re in-state or out-, public or private, community college or university.  Include a backup plan school.
  • Get online and figure out when their deadlines for admission (if there is one) and scholarships are.  If they haven’t already passed, they’re probably soon.  Locate a phone number (yes a phone number, not an e-mail address) and call each Admissions Office to find out what you should do (i.e. “Have I missed the deadline, and if so, is there any chance I could still get in or be awarded a scholarship?” or “The deadline is in three days.  What do I have to do, and what do I need to do it?”).  Adjust your list accordingly.
  • Have two conversations with your parents/family, and have them now!  First, talk money.  How are we going to pay for college, and who is going to pay for what? Second, get their input on your list of colleges.  Do they have any schools they’d like you to add?  Adjust your list accordingly.
  • Go see the senior or college counselor at your high school – immediately!  You may have to start your conversation with “I know I’ve been ignoring everything you said about college over the last several months, but I’m ready to talk about it now…” Find out if you can even get into the schools on your list and how to get your counselor’s help.
  • Apply to each school on your list – really!
  • Warn your parents you’ll need their help filing the FAFSA!  Go to www.fafsa.ed.govand sign up for a pin number.  File the FAFSA ASAP!
  • Visit each of your schools (again) to ensure you feel good about going to school there, and they have what you’re looking for.

Once all that is done, sit back and relax.  You’re caught up… until tomorrow!  Then you need to start working on housing applications, narrowing down your list, setting up enrollment dates...

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