America's Best Colleges for B Students. Tamra B. Orr
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Название: America's Best Colleges for B Students
Автор: Tamra B. Orr
Издательство: Ingram
Жанр: Учебная литература
isbn: 9781617600845
isbn:
On Page 15 is an example of the kind of form you could use. If you don't like it, my feelings aren't hurt. Create your own! Design it the way that fits best for you.
The Sky's the Limit
Once you start looking for colleges, you'll be overwhelmed at how many great choices there are. In fact, your problem may be that you have too many options!
After you have a list of colleges, the next step is to fill out the applications. This is your opportunity to make your case (why you should be accepted) to each college. While most colleges do look at the numbers from your GPA, SAT and ACT scores, they will also look to your character. They will want to know your aspirations, your passions, your level of responsibility and maturity and how you choose to spend your time. Who inspires you? Who influences you? What do you expect of yourself? College admissions officers see countless numbers of applications, many with high numbers, but it is the student that shows integrity, curiosity, originality and independence that will catch their eyes. Unlike grading those little #2 pencil-filled dots on the standardized tests, this kind of information is much harder to measure. The college application will go a long way to help paint that very unique portrait of you as a person.
But before we hit the application, let's take the next chapter to look at some things you can do now to make sure you maximize your time in high school and set yourself up to create the strongest application possible.
DON'T GET CAUGHT UP IN THE FRENZY
Many students get totally caught up in the college admissions frenzy without actually realizing that there are more than 4,000 colleges in the United States that have to stay open, so they are looking for students. In other words, you have a much better chance of getting in than you think.
Some advice for you:
Remember that it is not what college you get into but what you do while you are there that matters the most.
Even if you think you cannot get into a college, apply anyway.
Make sure to apply to colleges other than just your favorite one. Even if you consider them a back-up plan, take the time to make a list and apply.
Be true to yourself about what you want out of a college experience. If you really do not want one that is academically rigorous, that's totally fine. Just be up front about it.
If one certain college is your dream but you don't fit the academic requirements, apply anyway. If you stand out in any way at all, you just may make it in after all.
—LAURA JEANNE HAMMOND,Editor in Chief, Next Step Magazine
COLLEGE SCORE SHEET
Name of school:
Date visited:
Who went with me:
Contacts I made at the school:
TOTAL SCORE: ________
Questions:
How does this place make me feel?
Best thing about this place:
Worst thing about this place:
What is the city like?
What special services are offered to help B students?
Overall comments:
CHAPTER TWO
IT'S NEVER TOO LATE: TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO MAKE A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER RIGHT NOW
Procrastination (pro-kras-ten-a-shun): that annoying habit that tends to follow us throughout our lives, convincing us that we can easily put off until tomorrow what we should be doing today (or yesterday) and not have to pay any consequences. (For an example, see the character of Scarlett O'Hara in the classic Gone with the Wind, who coined the phrase, “Fiddle-dee-dee, I'll think about it tomorrow!”)
We've all done it. You will start the project/diet/chore/report/whatever tomorrow. Tomorrow, as little red-headed Annie reminded everyone in a relatively annoying song, is always a day away. It's eternally full of promise and potential. Unfortunately, when tomorrow arrives, it's today already, so we just repeat the mantra and everything is bumped one more time.
When it comes to getting ready for college, procrastination can be positively lethal. You already know that multiple forms have to be turned in early, from applications to financial aid requests. It doesn't stop there.
If your grades and test scores are not where you want them to be, there are no overnight miracles, potions or cures you can use. But there are steps you can take to brighten the picture a bit, especially if you are still in your sophomore or junior year.
Here is the list. Read it now (don't wait until tomorrow!) and you will already have a leg up on the competition. Some of these things are fairly simple; others take a lot of self-discipline. Fortunately, that is good practice for your college days ahead.
(1) Improve your grades ASAP.
Don't try to get out of improving your grades just because the school year is already partially over. Unless it's less then two weeks until summer vacation, there is still time to make a difference in that GPA. Here are some great ideas to try—TODAY, not tomorrow or next week. Don't be a Scarlett.
First of all, don't generalize your grades or the challenges of certain subject areas. If you're like most students (or human beings for that matter), you're stronger in some subjects than others. Think about which subjects give you the most trouble. Pinpoint the class or classes. Now narrow it down further. WHAT in that class is tough for you? In English, is it the reading or the writing? Is it the grammar or the composition? If it's science, is the difficulty in the lab or in reading the text? What formula or concept in math is bogging you down? If you can be specific about the problem, it is easier to find steps that will help you change things.
Once you know what issues are giving you the most trouble, do something about it. Here are just a few suggestions:
Ask your teacher for help before or after class.
Find a student who can help explain certain concepts.
Join or create a study group.
Get a tutor.
Ask your parents for help.
What else can you do? If you are not already doing so, TAKE NOTES. By taking down what the teacher is saying and putting it in your own words, you are focusing and repeating key information. These notes should be as organized and neat as possible and then they should be read over at least once a day to make СКАЧАТЬ