The past few weeks, college is all that has been on my mind. I can barely sleep or concentrate on anything else! I’m currently a junior in high school, so college is starting to creep up on my shoulder. The pressure to do well from my family, school, and myself has taken a toll on me. I know quite a few of you must be experiencing this as well. Dozens of questions come up while thinking about the entire college process, but in my opinion, the most important and permanent one is: what college is right for ME?

While applying to colleges, you should take into consideration:

• The location (you may or may not want to be too far from family)
• Financial aid (having debt after you graduate may empty out your pockets)
• Sports and activities (to keep you fit and busy)
• The reputation of the school, majors offered, the campus, and the list goes on…

Also, you need to sit down and think about the requirements for a specific college, or even college in general. Is your GPA (grade point average for freshmen to senior year of high school) high enough? Are your SAT and ACT scores good enough? Do you stand out from the pool of other applicants? See? It all feels like there’s so much to do with so little time.

Believe it or not, what I’ve learned from my high school experience is that homework (yes, HOMEWORK), is amazingly, the most vital piece of the pie concerning education; it’s like the first step to complete success. Doing your homework allows you to comprehend and understand lessons, which prepares you for tests and quizzes (which ultimately make up your grade in a class). For example, reading an assigned chapter for English class will obviously prepare you for a discussion about the book the next day. Being knowledgeable about the book will give you an advantage on the class work and notes, which will then give you a huge boost on the tests and quizzes.

Good grades however, are not the only important thing to have as a student. Here are some tips (based on my personal experience) to put into perspective during the rest of your high school days:

• Volunteer! Working for the community will show admission offices that you spend your time giving back.
• Apply for scholarships; they will aid you financially and keep hundreds of dollars in your pocket.
• Join a sport or a club, whether in or outside of school. Being well-rounded and productive shows that you’re an active student.
• Internships are paid educational-like jobs! They look really good on your college application, and can be loads of fun once you find one you like. So apply fast!
• Keep your grades up. Homework first, television later. Facebook and Twitter are definitely not your golden ticket to higher education, so try to keep your head focused on the books.

-Christina