I want to go to college, but I'm LOST!

Question

I don't know anything about college. Where do I begin?

How do I apply for scholarships? How much should I expect to spend? How long should I go? (I'm going for Marketing-I think.)

Should I go to a community college first, then somewhere else?

UGH!

Thanks for the help!

Answer 1

You sound really overwhelmed.  It's actually quite simple.  If you're in eleventh grade, tell your guidance counselor you're interested in college, and s/he will tell let you know what you'll need to get in, like grades, SAT scores, etc.  Junior year is a good time to join clubs and organizations and do some community service if you didn't already.

If you're in twelfth grade, and have already taken the SAT or ACT, then start researching colleges online or in the bookstore.  They have a big collection of books on every college and major you can think of.  Do you want to stay in-state (which is cheaper) or go out of state?  Public state universities are cheaper than private schools.  Also, it's okay to apply without knowing exactly which major you want right away, which is called "undecided".  

Again, go to your school's guidance department for brochures on different colleges.  Try to narrow down your choices to about four or five, since applying to many does get expensive (about $50-$75 each for the application fee).  The guidance department should also hook you up with applications and help you write your college essays.  Sometimes English teachers help you as well.  For the applications, you will need some teacher recommendations, so it's best to ask some of your favorite teachers in September of your senior year of high school for them.  Start early!

Usually the applications should be mailed out (or filled out online - some schools have online applications) by around Thanksgiving.  My guidance counselor mailed out my applications herself.  Of course, this differs from school to school, but they should help you - you just have to ask questions!  If you have any older friends or relatives who went to college, they can help you as well.

As for scholarships...again, the guidance department of your school should have a list of scholarships, and most people are eligible for at least a few.  Some are need-based and some are merit-based (for good grades), while others are for people with particular backgrounds, like bilingual students.  Applying for scholarships is usually done in the winter/spring of your senior year, and the applications tend to have a short essay.  It's worth all the work, trust me!  You can earn quite a bit of money.  

One last thing - for financial aid, you should fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) online.  You will need your parents' financial information (IRS forms, etc.) to fill it out.  This form determines your eligibility for federal grants (scholarships) and loans.  Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov.

If your grades aren't great, you can start with a community college, which has much less stringent admission requirements than 4-year schools.  From there, you can transfer to a regular college after two years.  Community colleges are also cheaper, so you can save money.  It depends on your personal preference.  In the end, you receive the same degree, but some people prefer having the full college experience (living on campus, etc.), and some think it's more prestigious to go to college straight from high school.  The typical tuition for an in-state student is around $9000 a year, and more like $18,000 including room and board if you live on-campus.  Some schools are incredibly expensive, upwards of $40,000 a year, for out-of-state students.

Good luck!