Get this: the U.S. Department of Education says students should start planning for college in the sixth grade. That’s right, sixth grade.
It makes sense, if you think about it. There’s so many things to do to plan for college. Here are just a few of them:
- choosing the right courses in middle school and high school to maximize your college potential
- finding your passion in pre-college extracurricular activities
- learning about the different colleges and universities out there
- figuring out how much the colleges you like cost
- figuring out how to pay for the colleges you like
- visiting campuses
These are just a few of the things students and families can start doing early in the game.
It’s November right now, and the fall semester is winding down. This is a great time to take stock and take steps to make sure you are on track with the college application process.
Many parents ask me when to start the college planning process. Part of the answer lies in what colleges look at in making admissions decisions. There’s a myth out there that all that matters is sophomore and junior year of high school. But the truth is, college admissions offices will look at all four years of high school, and they’ll even look at the courses students have taken in 7th and 8th grade in preparation for their secondary years. That’s why the Department of Education talks about 6th grade as a good time to start planning for college – because every year after that matters in the college admissions process.
So if you’re in 6th grade or beyond, and you want to go to college, now is the time to start.
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