Who says you can't go to college? Each and every day millions of students believe that they
simply can't go to college, whether it is because nobody else in their family has never gone
before or they don't feel as though their family is wealthy enough. The fact of the matter is that
anyone who wants to go to college can if they are willing to follow the necessary steps and to
commit themselves to the process. Even if you're family doesn't have a lot of money to spend
on your education, then chances are you will qualify for financial aid. Additionally, you have
several options available to you in terms of government loans and scholarships.
Don't feel as though you're smart enough to go to college? Well, don't, because you don't have
to be "smart" to go to college. You're going there to learn and if you are committed to your education, you will learn and you will become smart.
No matter what age or what part of the country you come from, you can go to college and the
process is not as difficult as one would think. There are dozens of resources available to you;
you just have to know what steps to go through in order to successfully get into the college of
your choice.
Throughout this guide, you will find each step that you need to take in order to successfully
enroll in college and make your move onto campus. Or, if you're an adult going back to school,
you'll learn what to consider when going back to school and how the admissions process may
be different for you. Additionally, you'll learn how to fit in after all these years after being out of school.
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© Tanya
Knight International, Inc. 2011
STEP 1
WHAT TYPE OF EDUCATION DO YOU WANT?
There are two basic types of colleges that are available, these include:
• Community, Technical and Junior Colleges: These colleges are typically two year
options and offers programs that allow students to get a license, certificate, an Associate
of Arts degree, an Associate of Science degree or an Associate of Applied Science
degree.
• Four-year Colleges and Universities: These schools are four years or longer and offer
a Bachelor's of Arts or Bachelor's of Science degree. Many four year colleges and
universities also have graduate and professional degree options for students interested
in continuing their education.
The types of jobs that are available to you will determine which college you choose to attend. In
an effort to save money on college, many students will choose to go to a community or junior
college for their basics and then transfer to a college or university. This is due to the fact that
many community and junior colleges do not require you to live on campus, which can be
expensive at a four-year college, and the tuition is often lower. However, if you do choose this
option be sure that you verify whether or not the classes that you take at these colleges will
transfer to the four-year college that you choose. Be careful about technical colleges, as their
credit often does not transfer to either a community college or a four-year college.
Certificates or degrees that you earn at either type of college can lead to several different
professions. If you have a career in mind, be certain to research the exact course requirements
that you need to prepare yourself with in high school as well as early in college. You also need
to research the type of education that your chosen career will require so that you select the
appropriate type of college to attend. In addition, many professions will require graduate school
beyond a bachelor's degree.
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Knight International, Inc. 2011
TYPES DEGREES AVAILABLE
Associate of Arts (A.A.), Associate of Science (A.S.) & Associate of Applied Science
(A.A.S.)
These degrees are obtained at the community or junior college level. These degrees typically
require two years to complete.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.)
These degrees are available at four year colleges and universities. They typically require four
years to complete, although many committed students have completed them more quickly.
Realistically, however, don't be concerned if it takes you 5 years or longer to complete your
Bachelor's degree.
Master's Degree and Ph.D.
These are professional degrees that are offered at colleges and universities. Four year colleges
may have limited options available in the type of graduate degrees they offer. Universities
typically have a number of different professional degrees available. These degrees are usually
earned through two or more years of additional college after receiving a Bachelor's degree. For
instance, you may be able to complete a Master's in Business Administration within 2 years,
while a medical degree may take you four or more additional years to complete.
EXAMPLES OF JOBS OBTAINED WITH SPECIFIC DEGREES
Associate's Degree
Bachelor's Degree
Graduate Degrees
Administrative Assistant
Accountant
Architect
Automotive Mechanic
Dietician
Biologist
Computer Technician
Editor
Dentist
Dental Hygienist
Engineer
Doctor
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a Knight International, Inc. 2011
Drafter
Journalist
Economist
Funeral Director
Investment Banker
Geologist
Heating, Air-Conditioning
Pharmacist
Lawyer
and Refrigeration
Technician
Medical Laboratory
Public Relations Specialist
Librarian
Technician
Medical Record Technician
Teacher
Psychologist
Insurance Agent
Social Worker
Chiropractor
Hotel or Restaurant
Writer
Veterinarian
Manager
Graphic Designer
Recreational Therapist
Priest
Visual Artist
Research Assistant
Zoologist
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© Tanya
Knight International, Inc. 2011
STEP 2
PREPARING FOR COLLEGE ACADEMICALLY
While you are still in junior high and high school, it's time to begin thinking about college and how
you can prepare academically. There are numerous ways you can begin preparing early in your
high school career and these include taking college-level courses and standardized tests
as early as possible.
It is best to begin planning for college in the seventh or eighth grade. There are also several
courses that you will want to begin taking as early as possible in your high school career
including algebra and geometry. Algebra and geometry play a large role in many state
standardized tests required by students as well as standardized tests required for college
entrance, including the SAT and ACT. By taking these courses early, you will also be more
prepared for more difficult courses including trigonometry, calculus and science courses. Many
of the most selective colleges that have the highest admissions requirements prefer students
who have already taken these courses.
Basic computer knowledge is essential, which is not a problem for the majority of today's
students. Additionally, colleges like to see students who have taken three to four years of a
foreign language. Spanish is highly valuable in the workforce today and if you are thinking of a
career that deals with people internationally, other languages such as French and German can
also be useful. Students who are considering a medical degree or science degree may also
benefit from a good knowledge of Latin.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES
If Advanced Placement courses are available at your high school, it is highly recommended that
you take advantage of these courses. These are college-level courses that use college-level
textbooks and prepare you for the academic challenges you will face in college. You also have
the opportunity to take a test at the end of the course that could provide you with college credit
depending on your score. You do have to pay for the test, but it is well worth your money. If
you make a score of 3 or higher on the test, you are likely to obtain college credit for that course
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and will not have to take it in college. This can result in significant savings in tuition and fees
when you register for college. If you have a specific college or a few colleges in mind, be sure
that you research their AP course score requirements. These requirements are typically
different depending on the course. There are 37 AP courses currently available. You can learn
more about these courses by asking your high school counselors or visiting the College Board
online at www.collegeboard.com.
AP COURSES AVAILABLE
• Art history
• U.S. Government and Politics
• Biology
• Human Geography
• Calculus AB and BC
• Italian Language and Culture
• Chemistry
• Japanese Language and Culture
• Chinese Language and Culture
• Latin Literature
• Computer Science A and AB
• Latin: Vergil
• Macroeconomics
• Music Theory
• Microeconomics
• Physics B and C
• English Language
• Psychology
• English Literature
• Spanish Language
• Environmental Science
• Spanish Literature
• European History
• Statistics
• French Language
• Studio Art
• French Literature
• U.S. History
• German Language
• World History
• Comp Government and Politics
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© Tanya
Knight International, Inc. 2011
STANDARDIZED TESTS
Standardized tests are also very important for college entrance. If you begin taking these as
early as you can, you will often have several additional opportunities to take the test and
improve your scores on these tests. The SAT is generally required by East and West coast
colleges, while the ACT is generally required by Midwest and Southern colleges.
Depending on the college that you choose to attend, you may also be asked to take SATII tests.
These are subject tests that are designed to measure your knowledge in certain areas of study.
The college of your choice will let you know if you need to take these additional subject tests.
These tests are generally offered in English, math, history, foreign languages and many of the
sciences.
Early in your high school career you will also have the opportunity to take the PSAT. This test is
usually offered to sophomores and juniors. Students who perform well on this test and meets
other academic requirements may qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program. This
program can provide you with substantial scholarship opportunities.
CLEP TESTS
The CLEP stands for the College-Level Examination Program and provides you the ability to
receive college credit for what you already know. There are 34 examinations that you can take
to earn credit for the knowledge that you may have earned through prior course work,
independent study or on the job training. A satisfactory score on your CLEP exam may earn
you 3 to 12 college credits. The cost of the exam is $70, which is a fraction of your tuition and
fees you would have to pay for the corresponding course. These can also help you to skip the
more general introductory courses so you can get on to those courses that are of more interest
to you and part of your degree plan.
Before taking a CLEP test, you must first find out if your college accepts CLEP tests. You can
do this by searching on CollegeBoard.com through their CLEP college search. There are also
CLEP tests available for military personnel and veterans.
The following are available as CLEP exams:
• American Literature
• English Composition
• Analyzing and Interpreting Literature
• English Literature
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• Freshman College Composition
• Western Civilization I: Ancient Near
East to 1648
• Humanities
• Western Civilization II: 1648 to the
• French Language 1 and 2
Present
• German Language 1 and 2
• Biology
• Spanish Language 1 and 2
• Calculus
• American Government
• Chemistry
• Human Growth and Development
• College Algebra
• Introduction to Psychology
• College Mathematics
• Introduction to Sociology
• Natural Sciences
• Principles of Macroeconomics
• Pre-calculus
• Principles of Microeconomics
• Financial Accounting
• Social Sciences and History
• Introductory Business Law
• U.S. History I: Early Colonization's to
• Information Systems and Computer
1877
Applications
• U.S. History II: 1865 to Present
• Principles of Management
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© Tanya
Knight International, Inc. 2011
STEP 3
SELECTING COLLEGES
Colleges are located throughout the country and in all types of communities from small rural
towns to large cities. Some colleges have tens of thousands of students enroll each year while
others only have a few hundred. There are also private and public schools. Many private
colleges are also affiliated with religious institutions, but not all are. There are also gender
specific schools for men or women only.
The type of college you choose is a personal decision that is based on your individual needs
and talents. When selecting colleges, consider the following questions:
• Why do you want to go to college?
• What do you hope to achieve by going to college?
• Do you have an idea of a career you would like to prepare for?
• Do you want to stay near home, in the same state or move to a different state?
• Do you have a preference of environment, such as urban, suburban or rural?
• Would you be happier in a small college or large university?
When making college selections, you also want to consider the nature of the education that is
offered. Many schools have a philosophy or specific educational program that they offer.
Consider what your career goals are and what the school's specialty areas are. You also want
to determine how long it will take you to complete your chosen program.
Another important factor is to consider the quality of the college. Does the college have a high
drop-out rate and what percentage of students actually graduate. A school with a high drop-out
rate often suggests that students are not satisfied with the college for one reason or another.
It's also good to consider if the school's facilities will meet your needs as well.
Finally, what admission requirements does the college have? Schools may require specific
courses and standardized tests. They may also require you to submit certain items with your
applications. Be sure you know what each college you are interested in requires. You also
need to determine if the college is accredited and eligible to participate in federal student aid
programs.
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Knight International, Inc. 2011
TAKE CAMPUS TOURS
Once you have narrowed down your college choices, you'll want to visit the campus of your top
selections. For many students, this may be one or two, but for others, you may want to visit
three or more. Visiting the campus and meeting the people at the campus can really help you to
narrow down your options even further. Once you visit, you may decide the college doesn't really
meet your needs or you might just decide you don't like it at all.
While visiting a campus, there are several things you should be sure to do.
• Tour the campus. This one is pretty obvious, but be sure to call ahead of time and set
up a guide. Many students provide tours of the campus and will show you all of the
buildings and offices that you will need to be able to find should you choose to go to
school there.
• Have an interview with an admissions officer. They will provide you with the
necessary guidance you will need for applying. They will most likely provide you with
applications and information on the documents you need to gather for them when you
apply.
• Pick up financial aid forms. This is a great opportunity to meet the financial aid officers
and pick up any brochures on financial aid you may be interested in applying for.
• Talk to a student or counselor in the career center. They will be able to tell you a
little bit about their services and jobs that are available for degree programs that may be
of interest to you. They will also tell you how you can get a job on campus or locally.
• Talk to a professor in a major that you are interested in. They will be able to provide
you with detailed information on what classes you will take and what extracurricular
activities are available for you in that major as well.
• Pick up a student newspaper. This is a great way to read a little bit about what's going
on around the campus as well as local news and information. Many local businesses
also advertise in school newspapers and you can find information on what services or
discounts are available to students in the area.
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• Spend the night in a dorm. If you're going for the full college experience, spending the
night in a dorm can help give it to you. Talk to the residential office about spending the
night in a dorm for the full college experience.
• Eat in the cafeteria. You're most likely going to be required to buy a meal ticket with
your residence, so this is a great way to get an idea of what the food is like at the school.
Don't worry, it might be better than you expect.
• Browse the college bookstore. The college bookstore doesn't just sell textbooks, but
also a lot of other necessities and items you may need while in college. You'll also find
fan apparel for the sports teams and other college related items. The bookstore always
has a wide selection of school supplies as well as novelty items.
• Imagine yourself attending this college for at least four years. After you've done
your exploring, imagine yourself living in that community and going to school there for
four years of your life.
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© Tanya
Knight International, Inc. 2011
STEP 4
PREPARING FOR COLLEGE FINANCIALLY
Many parents tend to overestimate the cost of college or simply assume that all colleges are very
expensive. While this may be true for Ivy League schools and other highly rated colleges, this is
not necessarily the case for all colleges. In fact, the average tuition rate for most colleges is in
the range of $3,000 to $4,000. At the same time, many expensive colleges can be made
affordable through financial aid.
There are several costs that are combined to create the final cost of college for a semester.
These include:
• Tuition
• Fees
• Other course expenses