By, for and about the high school students of Clark County
College
Make your college search a top priority today
By Joseph Lopez, Valley HS
Posted: 2009-04-01
You hear it throughout your junior and senior years of high school: “It’s time to start preparing for college.” While this is a stressful factor in high school, it must be done! How can you be accepted to the college of your liking if no one knows you’re interested? As a junior or senior in high school, you must start the college search.

How do you know what college fits you? Probably one of the most important things to consider is what you want to do for the rest of your working life. Now, as a teenager it can be a hassle to think about the not-so-distant future, but when it comes to a career that you’ve fallen in love with, it’s not so aggravating. That should be in the back of your mind as you shuffle through schools. It’s always a plus when a school has a major that relates to your dream career.

Another element that should be considered in this search for education is where you’d like to study. If it’s close to home or as far away as you can get, there are several school options in every state. The sky is the limit when it comes to finding one! It’s even possible to attend a college overseas! Just don’t end up in a country where there’s no common communication, unless you’re up for the challenge. Keep in mind: any move will be a big move, so make sure you’re happy with where you’ll be living.

The “perfect college” all depends on the person seeking the education. If you’re smart and know you could go far with your incredible ability to retain knowledge (IB and AP, students, etc.) then you should consider going to a college like Harvard, Yale, etc. If you’re an impressive athlete and feel that you could make it in the top of your sport, you should look for a school that has your preferred sport. If you want to take it to the next level, look for a school that has an impressive athletic team, although it might be harder to make the team.

If you slump when it comes to schoolwork but have potential that could earn you a higher education, consider community colleges or adult schools.

There are so many more points to consider when it comes to college -- money, family, transportation. The list could go on forever, but if you apply yourself correctly then everything should work out in the end.

If you’re graduating in one or two years, it’s the time to prepare for college. But don’t you hear that all the time? The funny thing is, it’s true! So don’t wait until the last minute to figure out where you want to apply because the sooner you do the college search, the better options you’ll get and the less stress you’ll have. Good luck!