WIZARDS PREPARE FOR THEIR NEXT ADVENTURE

By MICHAEL DEPAOLO

It’s never too early to start planning for college. For high school freshmen and sophomores the process may seem far off, but before they know it, they will be facing the end of their junior year. If students haven’t prepared, there will be a lot of work ahead of them.  Don’t get me wrong, getting into college is hard work even if you’ve planned ahead - but the burden can be a lot easier toward the end if students are proactive throughout high school.  With over 4,000 colleges and universities in the United States alone, the possibilities for higher education are endless. 

MICHAEL DEPAOLO FOR THE WIZARD WEEKLY

By doing ample research, students are sure to find schools that are perfect academic, personal, and/or financial fits.  With the average amount of student debt reaching $33,000 for the graduating college class of 2014, it is important for families to do their due diligence to find institutions where their children will have the best chance to graduate within four years with a minimal amount of debt. 

Washingtonville does a fantastic job of preparing their students for the next chapter of their lives. They even have an after school program where students can set up their FASFA, Common Application, and their college essay. In doing this, students feel less stressed about the college process being that someone is there to help them along the way. 

Senior Skyler Allen talked about how he was  “lucky enough to have my mom help me out with a lot of the college process. She really pushed me to be where I am today.” He also feels that as stressful as the college process is, “it’s all worth it in the end when you get into the school you want.”

When it comes to competitive admissions, it’s not enough to have a great junior year. Colleges will look at all four years of grades and activities, so students need to make good grades, identify their interests, and get involved as soon as possible. That said, it’s never too late to improve. Colleges look for upward grade trends; so if freshmen and sophomore year grades were not the strongest, focus on getting the best marks possible junior year. A dramatic improvement can signify maturity and academic preparedness to an admissions committee. Keep track of grades from day one of high school, and know how to spot red flags and when to ask for help.

Junior Celine Lewandowski stated that, “As the end of the year approaches, more and more of us are starting to feel more confident about applying for college.” This is due in part to the fact that a lot of the juniors  have already taken the SAT or even the ACT.  With senior year quickly approaching for them, Celine feels as if she is “ready to take on senior year” with a confident state of mind.