An American College Enrollment Guide for Freshman

Going off to College should be one of the most exciting times for prospective college freshmen. It is a time to discover who they are and what they want to offer to the world.

Having a career that enables you to express all your gifts and talents to the fullest is one of the most wonderful experiences in life. As a potential college freshman, you probably have dreamed of having a spectacular career. You don’t want a niche in which you have to wait anxiously for Friday in order to have a weekend of freedom. Instead, you desire a career that will provide you with one joyous experience after the other.

Making the right career choice is the first step before finding and enrolling in a college or university that will make your dreams come true. In order to make this happen you will need to take the following steps.

Tools You Will Need:

• Internet Access
• Pencil & Note pad

Take a pencil and note pad. Search the internet for potential colleges you might want to attend. Take a look at the programs that are offered as well as the length of the programs. Choose the school or university that offers the best programs for you.

Whether your area of study happens to be medicine, law, business accounting or some area of language and arts, you must choose an accredited college with strong programs. In addition, consider the degree programs and consider the types of degrees the school offers. Some of the most popular ones are:

• A.A. (Associate of Arts)
• A.S. (Associate of Science)
• B.A. (Bachelor of Arts)
• B.S. (Bachelor of Science)
• M.A. (Masters of Arts)
• M.S. (Master of Science)
• PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)
• M.D (Doctor of Medicine)
• Ed.D (Doctor of Education)

Before choosing a college, another good idea is to check the credentials of a Universities’ faculty and staff. This will give you good indication of the type of instructors from which you will be receiving instructions. You must also ask questions. For example, are the instructors high celebrated for the knowledge and achievements? Have they added to the overall growth and advance to the particular field of study you are considering?

Graduating statistics is another quality indicator which incoming college student s must take into consideration. Find out how many graduates, percentage wise, go on to pass relevant licensing exams, land good jobs and become outstanding in their careers

If you are seriously interested in the educational program, check out the requirements for admission into the institution. Universities and colleges have their own criteria of the perfect candidate for admission. The criteria for admission at some colleges consist of writing an essay, obtaining a high ACT score, or having a grade point average of 3.5 or above. Nevertheless, if this is the college that you have chosen, contact the admission department and have the relevant documents e-mailed to you. Fill out the forms as soon as possible.

Choosing the right college is the beginning to a successful life of discovery and achievement. Since your choice will be an investment of a life time, consider all options with great deliberation.

You want to know if you have been acceptable long before the beginning of the semester. Prior knowledge of your acceptance will usually give you time to make adjustments, depending on the outcome of your application. Usually a nun-refundable fee must accompany a completed admission application.

If you are admitted, the next thing you need to do is meet with an adviser and determine a schedule of classes that will get you started toward the realization of your career. In fact, you will want to meet with your adviser on a consistent basis. Many college freshman as well as upper level students attempt to make up their own class schedules, resulting in wasting money or irrelevant courses or skipping prerequisites needed for higher level courses.

Another thing college freshman must consider is the cost of college. Unless you are the recipient of rich parents, you will need to apply for a financial aid packet. Financial assistance may consist of federal and state loans, scholarships, a variety of grants, including Pell Grants. Work study is also an option. Be very careful when choosing loans. You have to pay them back. Determine how much loan amount you want to pay back when you graduate. Tens of thousands of students graduate with loan debts over fifty thousand dollars. Check your qualification and apply for scholarships as often as possible. Try to avoid paying back large amounts of loan money.

Tips

As incoming freshmen, do all you can to make your college experience one to remember? Don’t be disconnected from others. Get involved in extracurricular activities, including sports, debate teams, campus activist organizations, student governments etc. Student involvement will provide you with lots of networking opportunities when you graduate from college. Networking is the hallmark of finding a job in which you can thrive.

Warning

When attending any college or university, you must also consider the safety of the school environment. Campus crimes have been on the rise in recent years, including armed assaults, robbery as well as random shootings. Make sure you are always watchful when walking across campus, especially at night when very few people are around. If available, consider utilizing campus transportation and keep communication lines available in case of an emergency. You should keep the phone numbers of campus security or police, friends as well as family at hand.