High school is an exciting opportunity to continue learning and growing as a student. It’s also where many students begin thinking about college. This is because high school is an important step in your educational journey to help you prepare for college as well as to develop your skills as a student and as a community member.

As you begin to think about applying to colleges, you may wonder: What do colleges look for when they review applications? This is one of the questions that admissions representatives receive most frequently when we meet students and their families. Many selective colleges practice an admissions process that looks at the applicant as a whole person.

Are you thinking through how to make the most out of summer for the college search and application process?  If so we hope these tips help you to navigate this time period and identify meaningful experiences that you can share with colleges and universities while also helping you prepare for the college application process. 

Cómo escribir un currículum

What is academic success? While attending high school, academic success means achieving a high GPA, making the honor roll, participation in organizations, and achieving good SAT or ACT scores. All of the activities you engage in are in preparation for your university life. Gaining practice in fine-tuning your academic skills by seeking out academic help like tutoring, mentoring, and peer coaching is essential to succeeding. 

If you want to learn what it will cost to attend a college, you might try looking up its tuition. But that number won’t tell you much. Going to college often costs both more and less than the tuition figure that’s posted on the website. Confused? That’s OK. Keep reading.

There are many factors taken into consideration when admissions committees are reviewing applications. Who you are matters both inside and outside of the classroom.

When you apply to college, part of the application review process is an assessment of your transcript. What are colleges and universities looking for in their transcript review? Here are a few tips to keep in mind: 

There are over 4,000 colleges and universities in the country, all with different academic programs, extracurricular options, and campus traditions and cultures.

The college process can be incredibly intimidating, and that’s coming from someone who has made a college admissions his career!  Whether you have already been thinking about college or are just starting to, it is hard to know where to even begin.

There is a famous psychologist, Lee Vygotsky, who had this to say about how people learn, “Through others we become ourselves.” When you think about how you became skilled at something, what do you credit for how you became that way?

One of the most important things to consider as you look to transfer is how — and if — the credits you’ve already earned will transfer to your new school.

Let’s face it: You don’t want the time, money, and effort you’ve spent taking courses at your current college to go to waste!

Navegando las apelaciones de ayuda financiera

Our friends at Coalition member University of Tampa have seen and heard it all from prospective students.

From bad grammar in emails to phone calls from moms and dads (groan!), they know a thing or two about how not to communicate with prospective colleges

Consejos para encontrar universidades asequibles

Visiting a school is always a great way to learn more about it and consider whether the campus is a good fit for you. But sometimes—because of costs, time restraints, or travel logistics—visiting in person may not be possible.

When it comes to goals, former college football player and coach Tony DeMeo says, “You get what you set.”

Successful people like Coach DeMeo know that, in order to succeed — in sports, in college, in life — you need to set goals. With goals, you take control of your life. Without them, you lack focus and direction.

As a college student looking to transfer, you probably have some questions about financial aid. Well, we’ve got some answers!

Here are some commonly asked questions and answers about financial aid for transfer students:

The Coalition for College is proud to support transfer students like you as you continue your college journey. In fact, we’re committed to increasing access to higher education — and to helping make college a reality for all students.

Throughout your high school career, you will be aiming for college. And as one step toward that goal, we think you should consider scheduling your first college tour.