The EDUFAX Educational FAQ

Question #54:

I am the oldest child in the family, so this college thing is totally new. I am having trouble sorting out what to do first about getting into college. My GPA is 3.7. I am a junior. I have not taken any tests or started looking at schools. I am not sure what to major in. Help!

Answer #54:

You have a lot of work to do, but the results will be worthwhile. First, arrange to take the SAT I. Then register for the SAT II in three subjects which interest you. Most colleges which consider the SAT II, require English/Writing, Math and a third subject of your choice. With your excellent GPA, I assume you will be looking at highly competitive colleges. First ask yourself these questions: Do I want a large, medium or small school? Do I want a city, suburban, or a rural campus? Are there any extracurricular activities I would like to have? Are there any special organizations to which I might like to belong (e.g.: fraternities, choral, sports clubs, etc.)? Is there a sport I would like to play? What geographical locations are best for me? Do I want a religious denomination? Think of these and other questions which might be relevant to your ideal college. Then take a few College Guides out of your school or local library and start reading about schools which match your answers to the above questions. Ask your school guidance counselor for help or contact an educational consultant to accompany you during this exciting transitional process. Narrow your options down to about ten schools and write to each admissions office for catalogues and application forms. Try to visit the schools which are most important to you and arrange for an interview. Otherwise, contact the admissions offices of the schools which are far away from you and ask for alumni interviews. You can find links to the home pages and the e-mail addresses to the admissions offices of ALL the colleges in the USA on the EDUFAX web site. Think of teachers you might choose for recommendations. If you are applying for financial aid, call the financial aid office at several of the schools and see if they will do a rough approximation of your expected family contribution. Think of a dynamic presentation for your application and a "grabber" of a subject for your essay. Write clearly and cogently. The essay is a critically important part of your application. It should 'pop' out of the pile right into the admission officer's field of interest. Don't worry yet about your final choice of a major, but do choose schools which will give you options in your possible fields of interest. EDUFAX provides services for the Collegebound High School Student.

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