𝕊𝕔𝕙𝕠𝕠𝕝 𝕤𝕦𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕤𝕤 ✎🌻

College Searching! ~Jules

If you're like me, you've been working on your search for the perfect college for the past few years. It can be a daunting task, so here are some steps to alleviate the stress!

1. Pick a region you want to stay in! For instance, if you live in California, you could choose to stay local, stay on the West Coast, or travel to the East Coast. If you get a general idea of where you want to go, it can be easier to narrow down the search.

2. Choose a major! If you aren't sure of what you want to do in life yet, at least narrow down your search. Perhaps you know you love science and want to work in the science field. In this case, you would look for schools that have strong science programs.

3. Research the schools! Make sure to look at average SAT/ACT scores as well as average GPA to give yourself an idea of where you stand. If you aren't at the average, don't worry! You always have time to bring your grades up.

4. If you are looking to do sports in college, get in contact with as many coaches as you can from the schools you want to go to! Email, call, text... you name it! Get in contact in any way you can and try to attend clinics to show that you are genuinely interested.

5. Go on visits! Once you find schools that you like, check out the campus to see if you could picture yourself calling that college home for the next four (possibly more!) years. Attend seminars for majors you'd be interested in taking and make sure to ask as many questions as possible! Some questions you might want to ask are:
- How many students are accepted into this program on average?
- Is there a minimum GPA to get into this program?
- Is it difficult to do sports while being in this program?
- (If you are looking to continue into graduate school) Is this a direct entry program?

6. Check if the school is affordable. Keep in mind that you can apply for financial aid and scholarships, but think about if you and your family would be willing to pay off student loans for the next twenty years.

7. Remember that there is no such thing as the perfect school! You may love the program of one, but not the area or the food. Be willing to compromise.

Oftentimes, you'll find the school that you know immediately is perfect for you. I had this experience after my first visit! I knew immediately that it was the campus I wanted to call home. If you didn't have that moment yet, just wait! It might still be coming!

Some apps and websites I recommend for college searching are:

Niche: This app/website helps you to sort through schools based on degrees, Greek life, and much more! See rating from students like yourself to get a feel for how the student population feels about their college.

CollegeHunch: This app allows you to compare colleges side by side to see which is the right fit for you! I loved that I was able to compare nine different schools right from my phone.

Keep in mind that you don't have to know exactly what you want to do or where you want to go! In time, it will all come to you so don't stress! Talk to your school guidance counselor if you need further assistance and remember that we here at SGC are always available to provide you with advice and assistance!

~Jules