How I made my way into college

   College is the next step to entering the "real world" as teachers and professors would say to me. In high school, I had a generally idea of where I wanted to go, how much I wanted to spend, and what I wanted to do with my life.
   Next came down to narrowing my options before selecting my choices. Thanks to a very helpful college prep after school program offered in my school district, I was able to obtain fee waivers for testing and college admissions. In order to be eligible for most college admission processes and financial aid, SAT and ACT scores are necessary to survive the economic climate especially if you come from a middle class income like me. Unfortunately the tests cost quite a bit of money, but if you are eligible you may be able to find waivers from your high school counselor, a college ready program, or from the university/college of your choice.
   Some colleges also offer fee waivers for application admission processing if you were also eligible for a fee waiver for either the SAT or ACT. When applying for most colleges and universities in Texas, an easy to use versatile online application is available to apply to many colleges at once with just one application that can be edited to suit the needs of each college admission requirements. All your basic information is saved and you can reused an essay or edit it for each essay prompt requirement. Not all colleges require an essay for admission. The application can be found online at www.applytexas.org
   Another factor to consider is your high school rank. You can usually find out your rank from your high school counselor in your junior or senior year during the spring semester. Graduating in the top 10% of your class enables you with automatic admission at many prestigious colleges. My rank was in the top 25% of my class and granted me automatic admission for the university I applied for.
   When considering both my rank and test scores I was able to narrow down my choices to a select few in-state universities to avoid outrageous out-of-state charges. Next I quickly filed for my FAFSA as soon as my mother received her income tax. The FAFSA is the most important application to fill out for receiving the most financial aid possible to lower your out of pocket expenses. Excess financial aid is usually disbursed through a school credit card or through a check in the mail. Financial aid can be used to pay for textbooks, school supplies, a new laptop, or whatever you need.
   Some scholarships require you to fill out the FAFSA in order to better determine your eligibility. There are tons of scholarships available year round for high school school seniors and current college students. Many can be found on www.fastweb.com , www.scholarships.com , www.zinch.com , and www.collegeprowler.com Also, be sure to check the school for which you are applying for if they have any departmental scholarships for your major, study abroad or general scholarships.
   Research was my next step to applying to college. I spent exhausting hours upon hours on the internet looking up each college's website that I was interested in. I looked over and compared the costs of room&board, tuition, textbooks, and misc. fees. I also considered the dorm and meal plan options, the local shopping district, parking lots available on campus, clubs, and organizations on campus. I took the time to check up on reviews and ratings of each school.
   Once I finally picked a school to apply for, I attended their Open House and stayed the night to get a better feel for what my dorm life would be like. I made sure to ask as many questions about the school, teachers, and courses during my visits. I met with admission counselors, professors, and current students. I found my school, applied online, and submitted all the documents needed to qualify for scholarships, grants, and student loans. I am a current freshmen and am about to start my spring semester on January 19. I have plenty of financial aid for school and books. I love my new school and I hope to raise my gpa to a 4.0 by the end of the year. Wish me luck everyone! Feel free to post or email questions you may have about applying for college and financial aid.