Making the road after smoother for GHS grads

Kaihleah+Gornick+%E2%80%9820+works+with+guidance+counselor%2C+Brooke+Deppe+to+map+out+a+plan+for+senior+year.+Gornick+is+excited+to+lay+the+groundwork+for+her+college+search.

Kaihleah Gornick ‘20 works with guidance counselor, Brooke Deppe to map out a plan for senior year. Gornick is excited to lay the groundwork for her college search.

The whole college process is a very rocky road. Seniors are expected to know where they want to go for the next two to four years and what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Choosing a college can be very difficult and scary. To the population of the school to the costs. Colleges are getting very pricey with their tuition. Ranges go anywhere from 10-40k a year. Now, most students have to decide where they want to go to college based on tuition, which isn’t really fair. Not everyone can pull out $20,000 a year for school. Let alone room and board. That is why students should be aware of their options.

The very first step to be prepared for choosing a college would have to be the research. You should have a general idea on where you want to go. Such as, do you want to attend a private/public school or do you want there to be a lot of students attending as well. Knowing what atmosphere you want to be in can really make it easier to choose a college.

Second would be to research how much a college is. If your family is financially stable, then you’re in luck for this step. Those who are not, there are lot of private schools that really help out based on need. Private schools also hand out a lot of scholarships. But the major factor of a private education is the fact that it costs more than a public university. So it is best to weigh your options. You also should apply for FAFSA right away when they open up. Get ahead, it creates less stress and an opportunity for more help.

Starting off on the right foot: When you’re a junior, it is best to start looking out for scholarships. Most of the time, scholarships are not claimed due to the fact that no one applies for them. You might think $250 is not a lot of money, but $250 is better than no dollars. Apply. Apply. Apply. Chances are you might get it, and then you’ll have more money for books and classes.

With simple steps and general knowledge, the hunt for college can be easy yet hard. It is best to remember that you shouldn’t overwhelm yourself with not knowing what you want to do or where to go. Some seniors this year have no idea where they want to go and even though it is a little late, they still have time to figure it out. There’s always the option to take a year gap as well. As long as you stay on track, you should be fine. But you have to be aware that the time is ticking down. It is okay to be confused or lost. Lastly, ask the guidance counselor for help, she can help guide you down to where you want to go.