Graduation is a symbol of the completion of one phase of life and the beginning of another.
For many graduating students it is a time to think about, what next?
For others, this thought has already occurred, perhaps since grade school.
For those who have already decided to go to college and pursue a field of their choosing, the preparation would have started a year or more before graduation.
It is important that you choose a college before graduation for a number of reasons:
1. One main reason is that you don’t want to be left out in the cold
All colleges have a deadline for applications, so you have to know what it is for each college you are interested in.
Even if you don’t know for sure what you want to do, send in your application anyway before the deadline, or it may be too late at graduation.
2. It gives you peace of mind and helps you concentrate on the stuff at hand, like graduating
It is not nice to be in panic mode at graduation after you have heard that all your friends have decided on their colleges and many may have already received their acceptance letters.
3. You are better able to plan for the future if you already know your college before graduation
Knowing that you are going to college, and knowing the kind of college you are going to and its requirements for admission can help you prepare by becoming familiar with your soon-to-be-new home.
You will be able to gear your studies in the final year of high school toward areas that could give you an advantage in college.
4. You will be able to do more exploratory or investigative work
- You will be able to investigate at least three to four colleges that offer the fields of study that interest you.
- You will be able to check out and decide on the locations that suit your preference.
- You will also be able to see if your grades meet their expectations for admission or whether you have to do a little more work to qualify.
5. Choosing the funding options that suit your particular needs is another reason to select a college early
This puts you in a better position to balance your budget, assess your financial needs, come up with ways to address any shortfalls, and fill in the necessary paperwork for funding in a timely manner.
Choosing a college before graduation just makes good sense.
By doing so, you remove the anxiety associated with “getting into college” and you can plan ahead, pick the best college for your particular needs, and ensure that funding for your college fees and expenses are in place early.
Most importantly, you are able to reserve your spot in your preferred college.