COLLEGE PLANNING

If you are thinking about continuing your education by attending college, consider these topics when you explore your options.

Why should I attend college?

        - To train for a career
        - To grow and challenge yourself
        - To participate in athletics or extracurricular activities
        - To meet people or ‘contacts’
        - To fulfill a lifelong goal
        - To fulfill your parents’ wishes
        - To earn a higher income

What do colleges look for?

        -Test scores (ACT/SAT)
        - Difficulty of high school courses taken, specifically during the Junior and senior years
        - Grades and grade point averagE
        - Academic reputation of high school
        - Advanced Placement on college courses taken while in high school
        - Extracurricular activities
        - Essays
        - Recommendations
        - Interviews

How do I select a major?

Examine your areas of interest, talents, values, goals, and ambitions by job shadowing and speaking with people who work in careers that seem interesting to you.

If you cannot determine a major before applying to a college, you are not alone.  Approximately 50% of all college freshmen are undecided on a major.  Most colleges give you until the end of your second year to declare a major.

Be aware, however, that if you delay choosing a major (or change majors), you may need to take additional coursework. This may mean extra time (to graduate) and extra money.

How much does college cost?

Yearly tuition at state supported four year PUBLIC colleges in Ohio runs approximately $6,000 - $17,000.  At a PRIVATE school, tuition can run between $8,000 - $35,800 per year.  Room and board cost can add another $6,500 - $8.700 each year.  Other expenses include:  books, supplies, travel, clothes, entertainment, etc.  

College Information

College bound students need to schedule courses appropriate for college preparation. You can go to college!  It takes good thinking and good planning.  Let everyone know that you want to go to college – your parents, your teachers, and your guidance counselor.

The classes that you take in high school are very important. Make sure you are taking courses that are part of the college preparatory course work as endorsed by the council of admission officers of the state-assisted universities in Ohio.

Students who complete a core college preparatory program score nearly three points higher on the ACT test than students who do not. The best way to prepare for a successful ACT or SAT test is to take the more challenging core courses.

Colleges and universities prefer certain courses over others to meet their admission requirements.  In the State of Ohio, the Ohio Board of Regents has developed the following college-prep (CORE) curriculum:

Minimum College Prep Curriculum

• 4 credits of English CP
• 4 credits of Mathematics (including Algebra I CP, Geometry CP, Algebra II CP)
• 4 credits of CP Science including two lab sciences
• 4 credits of CP Social Studies
• 3 credits of Foreign Language
• 1 credit of Fine Arts

Each college is independent of others and may vary the above requirements according to its own standards. To enhance your chances for admission to the university and academic program of your choice, you are encouraged take the most rigorous curriculum available at your school.