Senior year is starting to feel a little less stressful, but earlier this month was a killer. I had a huge history paper due and I received a list of scholarship opportunities, which my mom insisted should be at the top of my to-do list. It seemed as soon as I finished something on my checklist, a couple more obligations came up. I am in the middle of finishing a few more scholarship applications that will hopefully lead to a little extra cash for college. There are plenty of scholarship opportunities; some are even humorous, like the scholarship for being left handed! I’ve found that so much is out there; you just have to have the drive to find it and go for it.

I’m excited about beginning a dual-enrollment class this January. Dual enrollment allows you to take a college class while you are still in high school. The perk? At my school, it’s free! Even the books are free. It’s a good opportunity to get a feel of what taking a college class is like. I enrolled in a general psychology course. It was hard making a decision because there were so many classes I was interested in. I also had to base my decision on what complements my other high school classes; it was definitely a process. The worst was going to the college to enroll. The wait to get into the system was horrifically long, so make sure to arrive early if you think dual-enrollment classes are for you.

Colleges seem to like advanced classes and dual-enrollment courses. Both show that you are prepared and can handle college-level work. Fortunately, at my school, we have college classes on campus. Along with my dual-enrollment class, I am taking English 101 and 102 on my high school campus. Completing these classes will mean earning more credits towards college, credits that will also count for high school. The best part is these classes are also free at my school. We all know college can be expensive, which is why I believe any small step that not only benefits your future but also your wallet is the right step forward.

Though I’ve gotten a handle on my work load, there are still many decisions I need to make regarding college. It’s always good to have options, but when there are more options, it’s sometimes harder to make a decision. Many factors play a role in making a college decision, including financial, social, and academic choices. You have to lay all your cards down and play your best hand. It’s not easy, but when you have so many options and benefits, it’s important not to rush when making your decision. The number one thing is to make sure you do what is best for you.

What types of things do you consider when deciding where you want to go to college? Are you looking to go to the number one party school, or does the college have to be a certain proximity from home, the beach, or your favorite fast food restaurant? You can look at brochures all you want, but nothing compares to taking your first step on the campus with open eyes. Would you buy a house based only on a picture and some typewritten description? It’s a good idea to visit the colleges to which you apply because visiting gives a better feel of the school and helps you decide if you can picture yourself there.

Last Saturday I visited Florida Atlantic University (FAU) with my two best friends. I wasn’t sure if I’d like FAU because I’d been considering a larger Florida school, but as soon as I stepped on campus it felt very cozy. At first, I felt like I was at Disney World trying to figure out where to go, but after an informative tour around campus, it didn’t seem so difficult. There are so many different things to look at and decisions to make.

College can be expensive, so you should think about all your financial options. One thing to consider is whether you want to room on or off campus, or maybe commute back and forth from home, if it’s close enough. FAU is about 30 minutes away from my house. I could stay home since I will only be attending classes a few times a week. But I wanted more of a college experience living on campus and away from mom and dad. We talked about me renting a place near the campus because it would be cheaper, but my parents said they’d feel more comfortable with me living on campus with security for my first year. Plus, according to my mom, it’s not a “full college experience” unless I share a dorm room with four girls. I convinced them I needed my own room, so they agreed to a single thankfully!

During the tour we met a current student who had a lot of helpful advice. It all started with a private tour, complete with helpful hints. He showed us the main places for information and told us about fun clubs to join. I think it’s important to get involved in college; it’s a good way to find what you’re passionate about and it’s also a good way to meet lots of new people.

I’ve looked at a bunch of different colleges, but FAU seems perfect for me. It’s not too far from home, but it’s a new place with new people and things to experience. Other schools, such as Florida State or the University of Florida are in more rural communities, which isn’t ideal for me. FAU is right around the corner from the beach, the mall, and plenty of restaurants. It’s not a huge school, but it’s not as small as Florida Gulf Coast. As perfect as FAU may seem for me, I still have a few other tours scheduled because it’s good to be open-minded.

Wherever you decide to go to college make sure it’s a perfect fit for you. View all your options, get involved and have fun!

I never imagined myself in my senior year applying to colleges; it always seemed like that time would be centuries away. Neither of my parents went to any big colleges, so I never had the drive to follow in their footsteps. All I knew is that one day I would go to college somewhere to continue my education.

After a rough freshman year of high school, I thought my grades would never improve. But with my mother’s encouragement and with my rising grades, I was motivated to do better. I have come a long way since freshman year—bringing up my grades, receiving scholarships, and focusing more on my schoolwork. It’s amazing how far you can come with a little self-motivation.

So far I’ve submitted applications to three colleges. Applying for college is more time-consuming than I thought: filling out some online applications took more than an hour. That didn’t include sending transcripts or any other paperwork. In fact, I was completely stressed out with certain application deadlines. But once you get the hang of it, it’s not so bad.

You can ask for help from your guidance staff; that’s why they are there, so don’t be shy. It’s important to receive all the information you need as soon as possible. The process was well worth it; this weekend I got my first college acceptance letter to Florida Atlantic University! It was so exciting to read the word “Congratulations!”

I’ve found that it’s a good idea to apply to more than one school, especially if the school you want to go to is competitive. It’s also good to weigh your options, because if you don’t get into one school, you have others to consider. It’s frustrating if you don’t get into the school of your choice, but you can’t let it beat you up. Just know you are not a failure; the fact that you have made it this far shows what a success you are, no matter what school you do or don’t get into. That’s why it is good to apply to more than one school. More schools, more options. And always remember that you may be able to transfer after a few years to another college.

One final thing to consider when applying for college is how you’ll make the final decision. Don’t choose a college because your friends are going there. Don’t overlook a college because it’s too far from a boyfriend or a girlfriend. This is the time to go wherever possible. It’s your experience, it’s your future, and it’s where you will learn new and exciting things that will help you grow. If you have choices, don’t let anything hold you back.

As a senior, testing is one of the biggest requirements. In fact, by now we’ve all been taking standardized tests our entire school career. Testing is important for many different reasons—for scholarship opportunities, college placement, and most college admissions.

Last year, I took the ACT and received the necessary score to qualify for Bright Futures, a scholarship that pays a nice portion of tuition. What I love about the ACT is that it’s based on things I’ve actually learned in school. There are no tricks involved. The best part is you don’t get penalized for marking the wrong answer.

Taking the tough classes is the best preparation for the ACT. Practice tests are a great way to familiarize yourself with the ACT. But if you are anything like me, sitting down and telling yourself you are going to open a practice ACT book when you get home from school every day sometimes doesn’t work. The first time I took a mock (practice) ACT using this method of preparation, I tanked.

The next time I took the ACT, I wanted to improve my score, so I opted to take a scheduled prep class. I went a few times a week and took a bunch of practice sections. The more I practiced, the more familiar I became with the test. This practice removed a lot of stress. Practice really does make perfect. I did a lot better and scored higher than my goal.

When you take the ACT, the most important thing to know is you are not the person next to you. Set a goal for yourself and don’t put yourself down if you don’t meet that goal. You can take the test more than one time. So don’t stress and do your best.

I thought junior year was stressful! Everyone talks about how amazing senior year is, but who knew it would be this overwhelming? Many of us get involved in extracurricular activities and take tough classes to increase our chances of getting admitted to college. Since my sophomore year, my main focus has always been to bring up my GPA from my disappointing freshman year grades. Still, I’m just an average student. So I decided to become more involved in extracurricular activities, hoping that involvement might give my application a little more oomph.

I think it’s important to be involved. Many smart students apply to colleges, but everyone needs something that makes them stand apart from other students. Say you have two applicants. Both are average students, have met all the qualifications, but a college doesn’t have room to accept both. That’s where extracurricular activities, service hours, and letters of recommendation make you unique.

Also, make sure to send in your applications, transcripts, etc. by all of the deadlines. If you need help, see your counselor for application and transcript information.
Though I have most of my credits for high school finished, I didn’t want to take a bunch of electives my senior year. I knew that instead of taking a sixth performing arts class, it would be better to take an elective like psychology I, which counts as a social studies credit. Since I plan to minor in psychology in college, it’s also a practical class for me to take.

I also took honors courses instead of regular class courses in high school because they are more challenging. Colleges notice this. Financially, I thought it would also be a good idea to take some dual-enrollment classes. Dual-enrollment classes are college courses offered by a local college; these classes are completed while you’re still in high school. They are sometimes free because you are technically still a high school student and you not only look good to colleges but you may be able to gain credits for high school and college at the same time with no expense. Beginning in January, I will take two dual-enrollment classes—an astronomy course and sociology course. I am also taking a college class, English 101 and 102, provided at my high school. The class will count for both high school and college credit.

Yet I can’t forget it’s senior year and I want to have a little fun, so I took two easy electives to ease my load.

If you want to attend a competitive college, it’s important to think about which classes to take and to enroll in the most rigorous classes offered at your school. Consider honors or dual-enrollment classes. Get involved. Get to know your counselor—he or she will help guide you and will help you weigh your options. In the end, however, you control your future; life is what you make it!

Summer went by very fast; I could have used an extra week or two. It’s senior year already! Since freshman year, I’ve prayed to be a senior, but once I realized I hit senior year it’s hard to believe. Part of me wants to graduate and the other part doesn’t know if I’m ready to graduate. This is the year of applying for scholarships and looking at colleges. It’s all so exciting and overwhelming at the same time. The most important thing to do is enjoy it!

Luckily for me, I took my ACT as a junior and now have one less thing to worry about. I took it the Saturday after school ended; can you believe that? While everyone was sleeping in or going to the beach, I was up at 7 o’clock on the first weekend of summer taking a test. It was well worth it, though.

There is a scholarship, Bright Futures, offered in Florida that pays a nice portion of tuition, up to 75% I believe, but you have to get a 20 or above on the ACT. I prepared like crazy and scored well over a 20. It felt so good when the score report arrived during the summer. My score gave me more than just scholarship opportunities; it was high enough to enable me to take dual enrollment courses at the community college as a senior, which I plan on taking next term in 2011.

During the summer, I didn’t do anything associated with school work. I read a few books for leisure, but that was it. Junior year was probably the most stressful year of high school. I worked really hard, making sure I did everything I was supposed to do so I could have a stress-free senior year. During the summer, I hung out with friends, went to the beach and on a few road trips with friends and family. I watched a lot of movies. I stayed up late and woke up late. I had an amazing carefree summer until I was hit with reality and it was back to school, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I can’t say I prefer school over summer. It was the last summer of my high school career and I wanted to make the most of it, just like I plan on making the most of my senior year.

This year I look forward the most to visiting colleges. Last year, I went to a University of Central Florida football game. I was sucked into the atmosphere and have my sights set on the school, but I like to be open to other options so I can’t wait to do a college tour. I really want to get more involved this year, attending games, showing lots of school spirit and participating in everything possible. I’m really excited to see what this year holds; I’m excited to make the most of the year!

The ACT test^® may seem overwhelming, but after taking a prep class I’ve learned a lot of helpful tips to familiarize myself with the test. So if you need a few tips, I hope this blog will help.

The basic information you need to know about is the test format and its purpose. The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam. It tests what you’ve actually learned in high school.

When you register (the next test is September 11, 2010), you answer questions about what interests you about school and life. Then when you get your score report, you also receive a lot of good information about choosing high school classes, college readiness, career planning, and college admissions.

The ACT has four sections—English, mathematics, reading and science—and it takes about three hours to complete. If you register for the optional ACT Plus Writing, that section takes an extra 30 minutes.

There are two main strategies I followed in every section that may help you too:

• Answer every question, because you don’t get penalized for wrong answers
• If you have time, go back and check all your answers

The first section is English. In this section you read a story. There will be an underlined word or words and you mark whether they are accurate, require no change or need to be replaced. Some questions also ask about sentence placement and order.

Next is the math section. If you are talking higher placement math classes it’s important that you don’t forget how to do geometry and algebra. So if you need to, make sure you brush up on your skills.

The reading section is the third section. The first passage usually involves a narrative story; it’s important to visualize this passage. The questions for this passage are based on how the characters react to each other and different situations, as well as the author’s point of view. Be sure to read each passage through before answering the questions that follow.

The science section has a lot of charts and figures. Don’t freak out if you don’t remember anything from biology and chemistry. You aren’t required to remember chemistry equations or statistical facts. There are short passages with the charts and figures that contain important information.

If you registered for the optional essay, it will be the last part of the test you will take. The topics, I found, are very straightforward.

The ACT website, www.actstudent.org, has a ton of helpful information and free sample items to help you get ready for the exam. However, I’ve found that the best preparation is to take the tough classes in high school.

The main concern for me taking the ACT test was time. Consider taking a practice test or two to gain experience and to become familiar with the format. Practice makes perfect. Eat a good breakfast and try not to get stressed. You will be fine!

Junior year is often known as the most stressful year of high school; I completely agree. I’ve challenged myself a lot this year. I’ve taken advanced classes that are equivalent to college courses. I’ve been involved with extracurricular activities and clubs, including S.I.T.E. (an environmentalist club) and Key Club. I’ve also had the added stress of trying to balance school, a social life, and applying for colleges and taking college placement tests. I feel overwhelmed with so much to do and it seems as if there is no time to do it. The school year is coming to a close in a month and only summer plans are on my mind, but it’s important for me to not get too distracted because the school year isn’t over yet.

I signed up to take the ACT test on June 12, which is the week school ends. I felt it would be the best time for me to take the ACT, considering the ACT is based on the actual content learned in high school classes. I’ve found there are plenty of resources you can use to prepare for the test. For example, if you log onto www.actstudent.org/, you’ll find links to numerous practice problems you can use to prepare. As you answer each question, the site immediately lets you know if you’ve answered correctly. If you haven’t, the site explains why you got the answer wrong and the correct way to approach each problem, either by a step-by-step process or a grammatical rule.

There are additional resources available on the ACT website; you can also find resources at school, from practice books to practice tests. Even if you are financially unable to pay for the ACT, you may request a voucher to take the test up to two times without cost. You should talk to your school counselor for more information.

The ACT is accepted by all colleges and it opens a lot of doors for scholarships and more. The ACT has no tricks, unlike other tests, and you don’t get penalized for marking the wrong answers. The ACT doesn’t tempt you to pick another answer and it’s based on the content you learn in your high school courses. If you take the time and use the resources your school offers, online help, and even library prep books, you will have a better understanding of the test and can do your best if you try.

If, like me, you would like more assistance, tutoring can be an option for you. I enrolled in an ACT prep class and had my first class tonight. I learned a lot of helpful hints. The downside is these classes and tutors can be expensive. But remember, there are free resources available.

The end of the school year will soon be here. As much as I would like to put my feet up and call it a day, it’s important for me to stay focused, maintain my grades and give one hundred percent!

I had a very close group of friends in middle school. We swore we would be best friends forever, but then we found ourselves going to completely different high schools. Some of us remained friends and some of us lost touch. In life everyone has different paths. Sometimes the paths with your friends just don’t seem to intersect.

I have two amazing best friends and we spend every second of our free time together. We all plan on going to the same college. We looked at colleges together and fell in love with the University of Central Florida (UCF). Whether or not we will be accepted is the question.

Friends influence each other without even realizing it. You start picking up on each other’s words and even dreams. But what’s best for your friend may not be best for you. For example, my friend Claire wants to go to college with her best friend Amy, but Claire has the opportunity to go to college in New York and live with her aunt. It’s important to do what you want to do regardless of what your friends are doing. Though we all go through different stages in our lives, we shouldn’t let opportunities slip away.

If you’re not accepted at your first choice college, it’s important to acknowledge that you still have options. Some of my friends have decided to go to a local community college for two years and then transfer over to a university or even attend a community college near the university they want to eventually attend.

There are also technical schools that may be of interest to some students. I have a friend who wants to specialize in a certain field, so he’s going to attend Sheridan Technical School and work on the side to save up money instead of going to a more expensive institution.

A friend named Jake never thought he would go to college because he barely graduated from high school. His previous scores on state tests proved he had good skills so his school counselor recommended that he take the ACT. He took the test and scored well enough for a Bright Futures scholarship that pays for about 60% of his college. Now he’s signed up to attend his first semester of college this fall. It’s a great idea to take the ACT and see how much it can help you.

I planned on starting college early next year, but I’ve decided it’s not what I want to do anymore. Even though it would a great opportunity, what I thought was best for me then isn’t what’s best for me now. I’ve decided to enjoy what’s left of high school instead of trying to hurry up and get out. I recently realized that time is moving so rapidly, so what’s the rush? Whatever your decisions may be, know that nothing is for certain and you can always change your mind. At the same time, it’s important to have a path, make it your own and never miss out on any opportunities.