BY MICHAELA CATOE, Junior
BLYTHEWOOD--As Seniors enter deeper into their first semester, they get more and more stressed about the college application process.
While submitting applications to numerous colleges, students also have to make sure they have the required credits for the schools, complete their transcripts, and prepare for the American College Test (ACT) and SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test).
“I’ve taken both the SAT and ACT twice,” senior Haven Davis said.
According to College Confidential, most students take them about three times to get the score that they were shooting for.
Blythewood’s College and Career Specialist, Kim Mudger, has helped many students in their transition from High School to College.
“A good goal for students to have us 1100 or higher on the SAT and 24 or higher on the ACT. These scores will qualify the student for the Life scholarship offered through South Carolina with a minimum GPA of 3.0,” Mudger said.
While worrying about testing, students also have to consider their area of study. This could highly impact where they end up going to school to further their education.
“Xavier University and Presbyterian College both are strong in my Major,” Davis said. “Presbyterian is only an hour away from home. Xavier is in New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s also a great city to be in.”
Other than areas of study, money is also a strong factor when considering colleges.
“I’ve applied to Francis Marion, University of South Carolina, Coastal Carolina, and USC Beaufort,” senior Erykah Alford said. “I’ll be close to home and I don’t want to have to pay Out-of-State tuition.”
While worrying about tests, students also have to think about scholarships and their eligibility for financial aid.
“Financial Aid begins with completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) form online. This will allow the colleges to see if the student qualifies for financial aid,” Mudger said
There is a lot that goes into applying for college, especially since it is the next big step. With this comes a lot of stress.
“Most students and parents get stressed about the college process because they get overwhelmed. The applications, the essays, the college tours, and test scores can be a lot to understand," Mudger said.
"If a student procrastinates and waits until the Senior year to begin the process- this creates even more stress. My advice is to start the process early. Go on tours way before the senior year so you can narrow down your choices. Start testing early so if you need to get outside assistance, you still have time to reach that goal. Also, students who maintained a high GPA early in high school will have less stress and a lot more options for college acceptance. Do the research and take advantage of as many opportunities for information as possible. This will make the process easier because you will be well informed,” Mudger said
