| Today, more than ever, you need a college | | | | satisfactory, you can sometimes take them |
| degree to be successful. Twenty-five years | | | | again and receive credit for the highest |
| ago, a high school diploma was enough to earn | | | | score. |
| enough to live a middle-class lifestyle with | | | | |
| a decent job. Now, in order to do as well as | | | | The most important preliminary goal is to |
| you could then, you need an expensive and | | | | actually graduate from high school. If you |
| time-consuming college degree. | | | | drop out of your senior year, you will not be |
| | | | able to attend college. No matter how much |
| College graduates earn about twice as much | | | | you may dislike high school or find it |
| money as high school graduates, on average. | | | | frustrating, just stick it out and graduate. |
| To get where you want in life, you need to be | | | | You'll never regret it. Some schools accept |
| sure you qualify for college. Let's take a | | | | diploma equivalents, such as the GED, but to |
| look at some of the requirements to attend a | | | | qualify for college, you generally need a |
| university and earn a degree for your | | | | good excuse for not graduating, such as a |
| long-term success. | | | | health problem. |
| | | | |
| Long before high school is over, you should | | | | Outside of school hours and work, take the |
| be thinking about the value of your grades. | | | | time to fill out your college applications. |
| Your GPA, or grade point average, tells your | | | | This effort should begin in the summer before |
| future college the overall average grade for | | | | your senior year of high school because the |
| your high school classes, so bear in mind | | | | overall process can take a lengthy period of |
| that every class counts. Since colleges | | | | time. In addition to basic questions about |
| consider your grades from 9th to 11th grade, | | | | yourself and your grades, applications will |
| even your earliest class grades are | | | | often require you to write an essay. That |
| important. Which subjects you take also | | | | essay is probably the most important thing |
| matters because your transcript, which goes | | | | you will have written in your entire life to |
| out to colleges, includes that information as | | | | that point. |
| well. Be sure not to select all the easiest | | | | |
| classes - doing so doesn't leave a good | | | | A great essay can help college administrators |
| impression. You are responsible to ensure | | | | overlook even ugly grades and grease the |
| your transcript is delivered to all the | | | | skids for your acceptance to many college |
| colleges in which you may have an interest in | | | | institutions. If an application doesn't |
| applying. Speak with administrators at your | | | | require an essay, it is still a good idea to |
| high school about this process. | | | | send one anyway, as long as your work is of |
| | | | excellent quality. Have your essay read by |
| Toward the end of your high school career, | | | | several others for feedback and editing; if |
| you will need to take the SAT or a similar | | | | possible, include a trusted English teacher |
| standardized test for college qualification. | | | | at your high school for feedback as well. |
| Verify which tests your possible colleges | | | | |
| require, and then take them all. Your scores | | | | After you send out your applications, you |
| on these tests will largely determine whether | | | | normally need to wait several months to see |
| you are accepted into these schools, so don't | | | | if you are accepted. This part can be more |
| take them lightly - come prepared. It is a | | | | stressful than all the prior work, but you |
| good idea to take these tests as early as | | | | must be patient. |
| possible because, if your score is not | | | | |