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You have a few years to go before going to college but you can still get college-ready. Review this high school freshmen college checklist to track your progress.
- Talk to your school counselor about your college aspirations so they can align your schedule with your goals.
- Sit down with your parents or guardian and estimate your financial aid using FAFSA4caster.ed.gov. Bear in mind, the government also has many grants, loans, and other programs to help.
- Enroll in extracurricular activities in high school. This will assist your college applications in the future. Also, over the summer consider volunteering for a good cause. Volunteering gives you experience and a sense of accomplishment when helping others. Volunteer work shows a college that they will gain a student who cares about their community.
- Attend college fairs in your area. Even though you are a Freshman, you can still go. If you have a local community college, check to see if they host a college fair. These fairs are fun, you can ask questions, and you can usually walk away with a lot of swag from colleges. Enjoy!
- Learn about careers and their occupational outlook. Research what career you may be interested in — this will help you when selecting a major and a college. Use the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Handbook for your research.
- Start looking at colleges and universities now. The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation created a useful resource to quickly lookup facts about any college on the College Completion website.
- Continue doing your best in school! Your grades affect your overall GPA, and colleges look at that.
If you have not done so yet, take our free career test.
