How to ensure that you will be accepted into college.
The following information is meant to show students how to get accepted into black colleges.
This page applies to all students entering college, but is tailored toward African American students looking to apply to a historically
black college or university (HBCU). Please read through the information below to learn more about how to get accepted into your college of choice.
College-Bound Students Should Consider These Tips From BlackCollegeSearch.Com:
PRIOR TO APPLYING FOR COLLEGE
THE APPLICATION PROCESS
ONCE YOU HAVE STARTED COLLEGE
Take challenging courses and build a good foundation throughout elementary, middle and high school.
The first year in high school is when you start to build a record that will play a role in the college admission decision. In 9 th through 12 th grades, you are creating a profile of who you are, which includes not only your grades, but your interests and skills.
8th grade is when you plan what you will take in high school.
Not everyone is Harvard-bound. Assess what your skills really are and on what "playing field" you will perform best.
Pursue volunteer and extracurricular activities that reflect who you are.
Take the PSAT as a sophomore to prepare for the SAT which will be given during your junior year.
Familiarize yourself with university settings. Attend summer camps on college campuses. Visit colleges while on vacation.
Parents: talk to the student about where they want to go to school, what is affordable and what you are willing to sacrifice. Sit down with the student to determine what schools are realistic to pursue. Look into scholarships to help finance your student's college career. College is the second or third largest investment of personal resources that parents and students make. Have a plan.
Decide what kind of school you are looking for by the end of your junior year or beginning of your senior year.
Speak with alumni and current students at the colleges that interest you. Understand what a research institution is, what a liberal arts college is, what different types of colleges exist.
It helps if you have learned to take responsibility for yourself at early age and through your high school career. Students who seem best suited for college are those who have held after-school or weekend jobs and have shown responsibility for taking care of and managing themselves. When you reach college, you will have to discipline yourself to study, go to class, and turn in papers on time.
Consider more than just a school's size. Bigger is not necessarily better. Make your decision based on the major you'd like to pursue. Certain schools have stronger programs in your area of interest, than others. Be sure what you choose as your major is something you enjoy, and in which you have a passionate interest.
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At the start of your senior year, you begin the application process. By now, you've done your research on schools that are of interest to you. Request application materials, and take note on a calendar as to submission deadlines. Don't lose an opportunity because you missed a deadline.
Every school has different application processes, but most will ask for an admission essay.
Writing an outstanding college admission essay is crucial. Don't put it off until the last minute. Start early. Set a self-imposed deadline of Thanksgiving of your senior year to have the rough draft–if not the final draft–complete. Identify and articulate your accomplishments. Decide what your greatest accomplishment thus far in life is. Write your essay for yourself. Don't write what you think your admission counselor wants. Have your essay proofed for spelling and typos and clarity of what it is you are trying to express.
Students' relationships with their parents change as they begin the college search process. Students, take responsibility for your own college career. This is usually the first real-life decision you are making.
Your best friend is not necessarily going with you to the next phase of your education. Make your college choice individually, not based on where your friends will be attending college. You need to choose the college with the strongest program for your goals. You will become a better person if you are brave enough to strike out on your own. Value and develop your own self-worth.
Learn to deal with rejection and failure, especially if you are looking at competitive colleges. Not everyone can be in the top 10 percent of the class. Good coping skills will benefit you throughout your life.
Read newspapers. Keep up with current events.
Don't be afraid to ask questions during the college search process.
Parents: assist students in the college search, but do not do the work for them. Let the student make appointments for college visits. Let the student complete and mail inquiry cards. Let the student complete and mail the application. Let the student do the work required to gain admission to college. They will feel as though they earned entry and it sets up a standard that says "with focus, commitment and my own effort, I can succeed."
Parents should not prevent students from exploring college options for majors and degrees. Let your student figure out what he or she is passionate about.
For first-generation families: Students, follow your dreams. Be realistic about your skills and abilities. Seek colleges that will best benefit your whole life. Don't shy away from applying to a school because you think it costs too much. That's why scholarships and financial aid exist. Parents, seek out professionals–it does not have to be a paid service. Many college and university admission and financial aid professionals are willing to help parents identify resources. Mailings that guarantee scholarships for substantial fees are usually scams. High schools, public libraries, the World Wide Web and the college admission offices offer free access to scholarship resources. Mailings that guarantee scholarships for substantial fees are usually scams. High schools, public libraries, the World Wide Web and the college admission offices offer free access to scholarship resources.
Visit http://www.fastweb.com , a free scholarship search service on the World Wide Web.
Use admission counselors as a resource; they want to assist you with questions.
If you realize a school isn't right for you, don't be afraid to ask an admission counselor for ideas on other schools that may be a better match.
Admission counselors are not salespeople. They are available to you to inform you regarding the college admission process and to give you information on the school they represent. They do not want to sell you something that is not right for you.
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Seek opportunities for leadership development.
Be prepared to have your horizons stretched in college. You will meet people who have different opinions. You may disagree. You may agree. Your values may change or they may not. It's okay to see things in a different light than your parents.
Once in college, you might discover that the major you thought you wanted to pursue is not the right fit…things DO change. A good exercise for students is to ask what your parents thought they were going to do when they were 18-years-old. What was their first college major? Their second? Their third? What major did they graduate with? What was their first job? What are they doing today? Then ask them to defend why you should be pressured to know exactly what you are going to do.
Begin by taking as broad a course selection as possible at the undergraduate level. Don't focus on preparing for one specific career. The career you begin pursuing may not be around in four years when you graduate. Ten years after you graduate college, it's likely that you will be working in a career you didn't perceive as possible when you began college.
Look for challenges inside and outside the college classroom. Some of your best learning will be done outside of the classroom.
Students sometimes have a hard time adapting to newness and to change and to stress. Homesickness is common among young people away from home for the first time. Try to complete at least one semester, and preferably one year. Give it a chance, before you give up.
Don't expect college to be like television or the movies. It's not like " A Different World " or "Drum Line."
The kind of experience you have will depend on the effort and time you put into college.
If you are not satisfied with how you are doing in school, the first place to look is at yourself. You might find out a lot by looking inward first, instead of just transferring to another school.
You can have a great experience any place you decide to go to school. Enjoy the process of figuring out what your career path may be. Follow your instincts, and don't concern yourself with finishing in 4 years. Many students work part-time jobs while attending college, and through that work, further discover where their interests lie.
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