Freshman Year
If you think you’ll need financial assistance for college (and most students do), it’s important to become the best student you can possibly be, beginning in the freshman year of high school.
Get involved in extracurricular activities
Colleges look for well-rounded students. Explore your interests and develop your leadership skills.
Volunteer
Attend a volunteer fair at your school or, if one isn’t offered, start your own volunteer club with your friends. It’s a great way to get involved in the community and demonstrate leadership.
Get an after-school or part-time summer job
You’ll have an income, and it helps develop responsibility, too—another characteristic colleges look for.
Sign up for a practice PSAT
The real test is your junior year, but don’t wait until then to prepare. A high test score will place you among the most sought-after students, and will dramatically increase your chances of getting an academic scholarship.
Start exploring career options
Talk to your parents, take a career-planning course or see your school guidance counselor.
Take your subjects seriously
Take classes
that challenge you academically while providing you an opportunity
to do well. It’s your weighted
GPA that matters when it comes to college admissions and financial aid.
Important: Parents – start saving now. Most
schools expect families to contribute to college expenses, and will
award financial aid based on this assumption.
This is an excerpt from Get
Cash for College:
Real Advice for Real Results,
our exclusive guide to helping high school students and their
parents prepare for college academically and financially.
Download
the complete transcript (PDF) —free.
High School Students
» Freshman Year
» Sophomore Year
» Junior Year
» Senior Year
» What You Need
Financial Aid Advisor
» Financial Aid Advisor: The Guided Tour
» First Step: Completing The FAFSA
» The Financial Aid Calendar
» The Financial Aid Process
» Know Your Options