Planning for college is an extended process. Students and parents should start planning as early as possible. You will be successful if you set goals and deadlines and if you stay organized. This section gives you a few overall tips. After you review these tips, use the new foldout college planning guide in the back of this book to help keep you on track. It will give you an overview of the planning activities you need to accomplish in order to be ready for college. Your overall plan should include a few key elements—develop good study habits, get good grades, become a well-rounded individual, and plan your finances.
We believe you will find the following planning and preparation ideas helpful in pursuing your goal of going to college. If you do not know how to study, now is the time to learn. Set academic goals. Decide what you want to achieve in each class you take. Get organized and stay organized. Use the foldout college planning guide in the back of this book for your long-term planning. Back up your long- range plan with a calendar and a daily planner where you can record important dates and deadlines and plan ahead. Record sports and extra-curricular activities so you will know how much time you have available to study each day.
Organize your materials for each class in a way that is meaningful to you. For example, you may want to organize notes and tests according to chapter or according to what the syllabus or the teacher indicates will be covered during a certain timeframe. As you complete work or have papers returned, file them in the appropriate place so you will be ready to review them before the next test. Set aside a regular time to study each night; find a place where you can study without interruption.
Allocate your available study time effectively. Make a list of everything you have to accomplish every day. Try to estimate how long each task on your list will take. See if the total amount of time will fit into the amount of time available. If not, determine on which tasks you can spend less time. Prioritize your list and stick to your schedule. Don't procrastinate. Consider your homework an important part of your job to graduate from high school.
Strive for good grades and maintain those good grades throughout high school. Attend all classes; take notes; and participate in class discussions. Ask questions when you don't understand. Keep tools and supplies you need on hand both at school and at home. Stay involved in extracurricular activities including work and involvement in civic and religious activities. Keep a list of all activities and any awards you receive. Last but not least, start planning your finances. Consider all possibilities of financial support. The last half of this book is dedicated to showing you how to pay for college. We outline in detail how the Army National Guard can help pay for your education (pp.85-130). We also offer information on college savings programs (pp.81-83), tax reductions for education (p.83), and additional sources of financial aid (pp.162-173).