College Readiness

        Hello readers! It's time for my think of the week and this week I want to talk about what I think you can do to get ready for college. You can never be fully prepared if you're going to college straight out of high school, but there are some steps you can take to get a head start! Although I'm not in college yet, I have been doing some preparing and I've talked to some people who ARE in their first year of college so I feel like I can give some basic and accurate advice. 
        The first thing that comes to mind when I think of college readiness is choosing a major and a school. These are two HUGE steps. All too often you hear of people who enter college intending to do one thing and then end up switching their major in the long run. I would recommend narrowing it down to a few majors and thinking very hard about how you want your future to be. It will cost you more money to switch your major if you have to take a bunch of new classes. Try to stick with one or be somewhat close! I know a lot of people have no idea what they want to do, but this time it could cost you. The second part might be a little harder even. Choosing a school. My advice to go about this would be to visit a TON of schools! Visit public and private schools, large and small schools, near and far schools. It's much easier to choose a school that's right for you after seeing so many different types. It also helps to apply and see where you get in, if you're in your senior year. Another thing to keep in mind is the financial aid they can offer and any scholarships they have. Sometimes more expensive schools can actually end up costing you less. 
        I'm going to offer one last tip for tonight and it's not as complicated as the first two! Take ANY required tests ahead of time and multiple times! Yes, multiple times. Especially the ACT if you live anywhere that needs it. Taking the ACT the first time is perfect for figuring out what you need to improve on to get the best possible score for yourself! It is definitely worth the time spent preparing. Get practice tests and booklets. Sometimes school counselors have an actual ACT paper book with questions in it. For me it's easiest to fill out what I know and take the ones I don't know to one of my teachers! Use your high school to your advantage! You'll be surprised how much they can help you! 
        Thanks so much for reading! If you liked this or it was helpful please like or share. See ya!