I hear a lot of students say that they’re looking forward to the independence of college. But a lot of those students let the college admissions process happen to them, waiting for their parents or counselor to take charge and tell them what to do. Instead, why not:
- Ask for help when you need it?
- Visit your counselor when you have questions?
- Find out if a college you’re interested in is visiting your school?
- Take an active interest in your college search?
- Be engaged during your college visits?
- Ask questions of college reps?
- Research colleges yourself?
- Fill out your own college applications?
You’re the one who’s going to college. Not your counselor, parents or anyone else. So don’t wait for them to care about this for you. There’s nothing wrong with asking for advice and guidance from people you trust. But students need to take charge. Treat high school like college prep. You’ll improve your chances of getting into college and succeeding once you get there.