5 Things to do in High School That Make College Easier

Did you know that there are things you can do throughout your high school career that can actually make college easier? It may surprise you to know that college prep should begin as early as freshman year of high school. With the help of your school's guidance counselor along with a college admissions consultant, you will want to start off by choosing your classes with care and focusing on maintaining good grades. 

The process only continues from there, but there are a few things you can do to make the process less stressful and improve your overall experience. Check out these five things to do in high school to make college easier. 

Hire An Independent Educational Consultant

Planning for college can be a long and stressful road if you don’t have a clear direction and a plan of action. By hiring an independent educational consultant you can have someone who knows the education industry guiding you through the process. This includes everything from giving you a college plan with timelines for each milestone to helping you understand financial aid. 

Consider Taking AP Classes

In college, there are a lot of credits that you will have to take in order to earn your degree. In most cases, this includes taking general education courses that apply to almost any major. For example, most majors require that you complete at least some math and English courses. AP classes are college-level courses that are available to high school students that have completed all prerequisite requirements. 

You may be wondering “do AP classes count as college credit?” If so, you will be happy to know that they can! Different schools may have different requirements for getting college credit. However, in general, you will have to pass an AP exam at the end of the course for the class to count. If you pass the exam, you can complete general education credits before you even begin college which can reduce your course load or shorten your college career. 

Apply For Scholarships

Don’t forget to start researching scholarship opportunities early. While you oftentimes can’t apply for scholarships until the year before college starts, it is common to have requirements that could be completed in the years leading up to that. In addition, College Bound Scholarships can be applied to as early as middle school. These programs allow students to make a pledge for an early commitment to state financial aid.

Participate in Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities are a great way to make college easier. Not only will it look good on your college application, but it will also give you access to certain scholarships. Extracurriculars can also help you try new things and potentially inform your area of study for college. 

Stay Organized

Remember to stay organized. There are things that you are going to want to keep track of throughout your high school career to have on hand as you enter college. This will also help you prepare for organizing during your time in college. It is a good idea to keep records of your academic achievements, extracurriculars, college research, test scores, and anything else that you might need on hand. 

With these five things in mind, the college will be just another step in your pathway to success.

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