Reflective Essay: I Must Prepare For College
In order to have a successful journey through college one must prepare extensively beforehand. I learned this concept after my parents told tales about what they wished they had done during high school to prepare for college. In order to lay the groundwork for my future education, I enrolled in advanced dual credit courses, took many significant tests, researched college campuses that I was interested in, and also filled out numerous applications. Together, the aforementioned steps set me up for an easy acceptance when the time arrived.
When my parents first expressed to me that I needed to take advanced courses starting freshman year, I was skeptical. I desired an easy, laid-back experience in high school; however, my parents declared otherwise. I began freshman year with three honors classes, and the parental expectation to make at least ninety-five percent in all of my classes. At the time, I thought this to be too extreme, but little did I know that colleges look back on all grades …show more content…
throughout high school, as well as the difficulty of the courses taken. In addition to honors classes, I also enrolled in dual credit courses. This meant that I would receive both high school, and college credit for the select classes that I completed. By the end of my senior year, I was scheduled to receive the same amount of class hours as a second year college student. The classes I was involved in throughout High School showed my positive academic outlook to any interested party.
In addition to partaking in advanced classes, I knew that I also needed to achieve an excellent score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT.
If I scored well on that test it would mean that I would have the choice, when the time came, to choose the exact university that suited me. For a fair chance at my goal, I would first need to prepare for the challenging exam. My school previously provided a class called the “SAT Boot Camp.” I ended up attending the boot camp three times consecutively. From that class, I received study materials specifically for the SAT. Practicing these learning materials assisted me in being prepared for the SAT more than anything else. Finally, I took the practice version of the SAT four times before actually taking the SAT. My first three years of taking a class structured specifically for the SAT, practicing an array of study materials, and taking the practice version of the SAT prepared me for the exam that would show colleges my academic
abilities.
After I had prepared the academic portion of my education for college, I came to realize that I had no concept of which institution to invest my future education into. I knew only the names of colleges suggested by my peers. The engineers in my church suggested Letourneau University, because that is where they obtained their degrees. My family in Colorado suggested the School of Mines. Both of the previously mentioned institutions were private, small, and had a Christian environment. These were all characteristics that I was searching for; however, the tuition price was astronomical. Because the major expense of a private university is normally raised compared to public universities, I decided to find a school that had most of my must-haves, but also a lower tuition price. After researching online, I located a college named A&M University in Commerce, Texas. This school was close to home, had a fantastic reputation, and even had a band that I could join. Creating and researching a set of characteristics I wanted in a college aided me in discovering the specific colleges that interested me with ease.
The final step I took in my preparation was to apply to the colleges that I desired to attend. Once applied, all a person can do is wait for an acceptance into their school of choice. In my case, I chose Letourneau, School of Mines, and A&M to apply to. After visiting the university campuses, I knew that I would be content with each. Researching online showed me that each college has a different admission process. Applying to Letourneau and School of Mines required only filling out a simple application with information about myself and my High School achievements. However, A&M required an Apply Texas application. Apply Texas is a website that simplifies the admissions process by saving defaults according to each university. Using this website was easy, but time consuming. All three schools had an early application deadline of December first. Applying for a set of colleges promptly prepared me for the important decision regarding my future education.
Preparing for college is a necessary step for an individual’s future. That is why I made it a priority beginning my freshman year of high school. I took classes that challenged me and gave me future credit in college. By taking the necessary preparations for the standardized college entrance test I was able to receive a marvelous score. Researching colleges that held the same ideals as me proved to narrow down my results. By researching and selecting three universities, I had the ability to apply straightforwardly online. The process I undertook to prepare for college was extensive and tiring; nevertheless, it proved to be worth it for the security and stability of my future education.
When my parents first expressed to me that I needed to take advanced courses starting freshman year, I was skeptical. I desired an easy, laid-back experience in high school; however, my parents declared otherwise. I began freshman year with three honors classes, and the parental expectation to make at least ninety-five percent in all of my classes. At the time, I thought this to be too extreme, but little did I know that colleges look back on all grades …show more content…
throughout high school, as well as the difficulty of the courses taken. In addition to honors classes, I also enrolled in dual credit courses. This meant that I would receive both high school, and college credit for the select classes that I completed. By the end of my senior year, I was scheduled to receive the same amount of class hours as a second year college student. The classes I was involved in throughout High School showed my positive academic outlook to any interested party.
In addition to partaking in advanced classes, I knew that I also needed to achieve an excellent score on the Scholastic Aptitude Test, or SAT.
If I scored well on that test it would mean that I would have the choice, when the time came, to choose the exact university that suited me. For a fair chance at my goal, I would first need to prepare for the challenging exam. My school previously provided a class called the “SAT Boot Camp.” I ended up attending the boot camp three times consecutively. From that class, I received study materials specifically for the SAT. Practicing these learning materials assisted me in being prepared for the SAT more than anything else. Finally, I took the practice version of the SAT four times before actually taking the SAT. My first three years of taking a class structured specifically for the SAT, practicing an array of study materials, and taking the practice version of the SAT prepared me for the exam that would show colleges my academic
abilities.
After I had prepared the academic portion of my education for college, I came to realize that I had no concept of which institution to invest my future education into. I knew only the names of colleges suggested by my peers. The engineers in my church suggested Letourneau University, because that is where they obtained their degrees. My family in Colorado suggested the School of Mines. Both of the previously mentioned institutions were private, small, and had a Christian environment. These were all characteristics that I was searching for; however, the tuition price was astronomical. Because the major expense of a private university is normally raised compared to public universities, I decided to find a school that had most of my must-haves, but also a lower tuition price. After researching online, I located a college named A&M University in Commerce, Texas. This school was close to home, had a fantastic reputation, and even had a band that I could join. Creating and researching a set of characteristics I wanted in a college aided me in discovering the specific colleges that interested me with ease.
The final step I took in my preparation was to apply to the colleges that I desired to attend. Once applied, all a person can do is wait for an acceptance into their school of choice. In my case, I chose Letourneau, School of Mines, and A&M to apply to. After visiting the university campuses, I knew that I would be content with each. Researching online showed me that each college has a different admission process. Applying to Letourneau and School of Mines required only filling out a simple application with information about myself and my High School achievements. However, A&M required an Apply Texas application. Apply Texas is a website that simplifies the admissions process by saving defaults according to each university. Using this website was easy, but time consuming. All three schools had an early application deadline of December first. Applying for a set of colleges promptly prepared me for the important decision regarding my future education.
Preparing for college is a necessary step for an individual’s future. That is why I made it a priority beginning my freshman year of high school. I took classes that challenged me and gave me future credit in college. By taking the necessary preparations for the standardized college entrance test I was able to receive a marvelous score. Researching colleges that held the same ideals as me proved to narrow down my results. By researching and selecting three universities, I had the ability to apply straightforwardly online. The process I undertook to prepare for college was extensive and tiring; nevertheless, it proved to be worth it for the security and stability of my future education.