Anna Costaras - The College Bound Planner: A Roadmap to Take You From High School to Your First Day of College

For All Students Planning to Apply to College

The
College
Bound
Planner

A Roadmap to Take You from High School to Your First Day of College

Anna Costaras & Gail Liss

Coral Gables

Copyright 2021 by Anna Costaras and Gail Liss.
Published by Mango Publishing a division of Mango Publishing Group, Inc.

Cover Design: Roberto Nez
Cover Illustration: ~ Bitter ~/AdobeStock
Layout & Design: Megan Werner

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The College Bound Planner: A Roadmap to Take You From High School to Your First Day of College

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication number: 2021938726
ISBN: (print) 978-1-64250-604-4, (ebook) 978-1-64250-605-1
BISAC category code STU009000, STUDY AIDS / College Entrance

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Your goal is to go to college, and for that, you will need to be college ready. Picture yourself in senior year, youll want to have choices about where to apply and where to attend. Engage in a bit of self-discovery in order to get yourself on the right path. Find out what you enjoy, what youre good at and what challenges you. What you achieve in high school and beyond is all up to you.

High school is the time to start imagining the possibilities. These are four years to use for self-exploration, growing as a student, becoming more comfortable socially, maturing and gaining greater independence. So take controlbecome accountable for your actions and work hard to become the best version of yourself. Nurture your curiosity and learn about the world around you. Youll be more aware, as well as a more interesti ng person.

Becoming your best self is a process and ninth grade is just the start. The sooner you understand how the decisions you make throughout high school affect your college options, the better you can plan for your future. Pick up this book any time in high school. Its never too early or too late to begin. Read through the entire book to get a preview of whats ahead and to make the most of your college boun d journey.

We will help you:

Find the academic direction and extracurricular activities that allow yo u to grow.

Develop good study skills and life habits to set yourself up t o succeed.

Get organized and stay organized.

Know what you should be doing at any time in hi gh school.

Answer the question, How do I see myself? to effectively tell admissions who you are and what you will bring to the ir campus.

Understand the application process and successfu lly apply.

Get ready for the first day as an unde rgraduate.

Lets work together to create your roadmap t o college.

Ann a and Gail

T his school year will begin with so many new things: school supplies, books, classmates, classes, teachers and even possibly your school. This is an opportunity for a fresh start, a chance for a reset, to position yourself where you w ant to be.

High school is the next step in your academic journey and youll find school will be different now than what youve been used to. The building might be bigger and it may take you some time to find your way around. Your class may be larger, with many unfamiliar faces and new friends to make. But the most significant difference will most certainly be your workload. Now that youre in high school, you should anticipate being challenged with more complex academic material, while at the same time youll be expected to be more independent. Your full-time responsibility is to be a committe d student.

Although this may sound daunting, it is important to keep in mind that starting in freshman year, everything you do will impact your college options. Begin by asking yourself, Who am I? Although this question may seem simple, its not so easy to answer. Who you are and how youll present yourself to colleges will be reflected through your curriculum, your grades, how hard you push yourself academically and your involvement in extracurricular and community activities. For success in college, you will need to become prepared by completing the necessary academic coursework. You have four years to become college ready, but dont worry, no one expects you to have it all figured out on day one. Youll have time and plent y of help.

A good support system is so important. Build your team and include your parents, after all, they know you best. Your guidance counselor, teachers, school psychologist, peer mentors and even your school principal could all be members of your team and may have much to offer. Introduce yourself and take the time to build these relationships. Dont be shy, keep your group in the loop and ask for support. Be proactive and reach out for help when youre feeling uncertain or ov erwhelmed.

Now that youre in ninth grade, set some personal and academic goals. Be engaged and present in your classes. Your job is to take your studies seriously. Come to school every day on time and prepared to learn, and use your time in high school to set yourself up for college. Participate, speak up, share your thoughts and ask questions when youre not clear about the material.

You should have some fun and enjoy yourself too. Explore life outside of the classroom. Jump into activities you know you like or try something you havent done before. Youll develop new interests and skills, and show colleges how you spent your time. They will be interested to see what you did outside the classroom and how you contributed to your school and local community.

Students and parents want to know what it takes to get into a good college. Theres no single magic answer. The answer depends on the student, their goals, the type of school theyd like to attend, and each colleges admissions criteria and objectives, which may vary from year to year. College admissions reps want to see that you have used your four years in high school to challenge yourself, develop academically and grow p ersonally.

Goal setting is an important skill to develop and one that will help you in high school, college and from then on. Studies have shown that when you write down and share your goals, you are more likely to stick with them. Seeing them visually helps you stay committed, so make your list and then share it with someone clo se to you.