grAVIDy Magazine 1st Quarter 2013 | Page 13

College Preparations

Admissions

Do you ever wonder what the steps for getting into college are? Every potential college student has those worries about whether they are doing the right things in high school. Am I in the right classes? How does my GPA factor in? Do they care about extra curriculars? Well, all of these answers have a lot to them.

Most colleges look for applicants that have challenged themselves in the classroom. AP and GT classes are your best bet to being considered, although, just taking the classes isn’t enough. Admissions Counselors want to see that you applied yourself and excelled in that class. According to Judi Rabinovitz, a Certified Educational Planner, most colleges will recalculate your GPA based only on core subjects. Making the grades is the best way to prove that you are dedicated to your studies and you have the brains to make colleges look good. Studies have shown (Figure 18) that students who have higher math scores are more likely to complete a Bachelor’s degree and have a higher income in the long run.

The GPA the Admissions Counselors are shown is an average of your grades from the beginning of your Freshman year to the end of your Junior year. Although, this doesn’t mean your Senior year doesn’t matter. Some colleges will request to see your Senior year transcript if they are on the edge about your application. Taking challenging classes also keeps your skills sharp so you do not have to relearn simple concepts by wasting money on a class you already passed. This is why a majority of high school guidance counselors will suggest you take four years of math.

Something that can push Admissions Counselors over the edge if your GPA isn’t perfect is a passionate involvement in extra curriculars (Rabinovitz). Colleges want to see that not only could you balance all your extensive classes, but you were also improving your leadership skills in a few meaningful activities. Creating a detailed resume is an excellent way to showcase your achievements. An admissions counselor wants a student who is well rounded, but also has more depth than breadth. Showing that you are deeply submerged in a few select activities proves you can give your all to something, and care very much about it.

Financial Aid

Before going through a comprehensive understanding of the financial aid statistics, let's first of all discuss the definition of financial aid. Primarily, financial aid is defined as the amount of money that becomes available to students to pursue and complete their academic goals and ambitions in the US. There are a plethora of different types and forms of financial aid that are available to students. Financial aid can be given by organizations, institutions, colleges, universities and even the