Your college preparation should begin even before you enter high school and continue until day you graduate from high school.

Along the way, there are steps you can take that will increase your chances of being admitted to the college of your choice – and of succeeding once you’re there.

Colleges certainly look at academic standards when choosing students. Grades and class rank and standardized test scores count.

But, colleges want more than bookworms. They also want students who will be active in campus events and organizations. They want students who will participate in sports, involve themselves in community service and even work on campus.

Take all of those issues into account as you prepare for college during your high school years. Don’t wait until your senior year in high school. Begin preparing early so you can develop a résumé that will impress college admission officers.

No matter what your grade level and no matter which college you hope to attend, here are five basic college-prep steps you need to take:

1. Enroll challenging classes in English, mathematics, science, history, geography, the arts and a foreign language.
2. Each year, add new classes to your schedule. Consider classes in government, civics, economics, chemistry, physics and advanced technologies. And don’t overlook advanced placement classes.
3. Develop strong study skills that will help you raise your grades.
4. Participate in extracurricular activities that help you develop leadership skills and volunteer your time in community service programs or projects.
5. Save money for college.

College Preparation Checklist

In addition to those five basic steps, there are specific steps you need to take each school year as you move closer to college admission.

The U.S. Department of Education offers a College Preparation Checklist. It’s available for free at www.ed.gov/pubs/Prepare/pt5.html#studentlist. Here’s an excerpt from that checklist.

Pre-High School

• Start thinking about which high school classes will best prepare you for college.

High School: 9th Grade

• Get to know your career counselor or guidance counselor as well as other college resources available at your school.
• Talk to adults in a variety of professions to determine what they like and dislike about their jobs and what kind of education is needed for each kind of job.

High School: 10th Grade

• Become involved in school- or community-based extracurricular activities that enable you to explore career interests.
• Meet with your career counselor or guidance counselor to discuss colleges and their requirements.
• Take the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT).
• Take advantage of opportunities to visit colleges and talk to students.

High School: 11th Grade

• Decide which colleges most interest you. Contact them to request information and an application for admission. Ask about special admissions requirements, financial aid and deadlines.
• Talk to college representatives at college fairs.
• Visit more colleges and talk to students.
• Consider people to ask for letters of recommendations, such as teachers, counselors and employers.
• Investigate the availability of financial aid from federal, state, local and private sources. Talk to your guidance counselor for more information.
• Investigate the availability of scholarships provided by organizations such as corporations, labor unions, professional associations and religious groups.
• Register for and take the SAT I, the ACT, SAT II Subject Tests or any other exams required for admission to the colleges you might want to attend.

High School: 12th Grade

• Meet with your counselor early in the year to discuss your college plans.
• Complete all necessary financial aid forms, especially the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
• Write to colleges to request information and applications for admission. Ask about financial aid, admissions requirements and deadlines.
• Register for and take the SAT I, ACT, SAT II Subject Tests or any other exams required for admission to the colleges to which you are applying.
• Prepare your application carefully. Follow the instructions and pay close attention to deadlines.
• Be sure to ask your counselor and teachers at least two weeks before your application deadlines to submit the necessary documents to colleges (your transcript, letters of recommendation, etc.)

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Standardized Tests

An important part of your college preparation will include completion of standardized admission tests.

Most colleges require that students complete these tests before admission. You can take the tests several times, and colleges will accept your highest score for admission.

High school guidance counselors and college advisors can give you information about the tests, tell you when and where the tests are administered, and show you ways to prepare for the tests.

You can also get test preparation booklets that help you study for the tests and provide practice tests. Most offer online test-preparation courses.

Here are the major tests you need to know about.

• ACT (American College Testing)
  Accepted by many colleges in lieu of the SAT I. Usually taken in the spring of your junior year.
  
  
• PLAN
  A practice test for the ACT.
  
  
• PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test)
  A practice test for the SAT I. Usually taken in the fall of your junior year.
  
  
• SAT I (Scholastic Assessment Test)
  Usually taken in the spring of your junior year.
  
  
• SAT II Subject Tests
  Many colleges require these in addition to the SAT I or ACT.