Alice Serbulescu studies vocabulary to prepare for the SAT reasoning test. Correct usage and meaning of words is a big part of the reading portion of the SAT, and is tested with sentence completion questions. Photo by Andrea Cruz

New classmates, new friends, new experiences and new opportunities. Every year of high school brings a rush of excitement — or anxiousness — to students statewide. The social aspect of high school is enough to worry about for many teenagers, which places college preparation somewhere behind pep rallies and school dances.

This may not be the best approach, however. The Bureau of Labor Statistics states a recent high school graduate not enrolled in college has the same unemployment rate as a recent high school drop-out. The unemployment rate for those who did not matriculate to college was 25 percent in October 2006, compared with 8.5 percent for those who did.

This is one reason, according to the BLS, that the college enrollment rate for recent high school graduates has been trending upward since 2001. In October 2006, 65.8 percent of high school graduates enrolled in colleges nationwide.

“Getting accepted into college is important to me because a good education leads to success,” said Alice Serbulescu, an incoming senior at Dr. Michael Krop High School, “and college gives you a good education.” Serbulescu said she has worked hard for her 3.7 grade point average by taking all honors classes every year since ninth grade. She has also taken SAT prep courses and has completed most of her required community service hours. “[During] senior year I will be doing more community service, and I’m thinking of applying for the Bright Futures [scholarship],” she said.

Robert Roddy, the college assistance program advisor at Krop says it is never too early to begin preparing for college. “College preparation begins the first week of school — the freshman year,” he said. “Most institutions will make their decision on your acceptance or not, primarily based on your grades from ninth, 10th and 11th grades.”

According to Roddy, choosing the right college must be a well-planned-out task. “College should be a life-changing experience — it can be a time of transition from being a teenager to being a young adult,” he said. “Choosing the right experience can make all the difference in your life.” When choosing a college, he recommends considering geographical location, cultural advantages and the people a student will be with.

Once a few colleges have been chosen, it is important to work on the different admission requirements. “It is also important to realize that college admissions are usually very competitive,” said Roddy. “While GPA is important, sadly, I find that your SAT/ACT scores can make a big difference with many schools. Every serious senior should have a goal of a 3.0 GPA, and either a 970 on the SAT, or a 20 on the ACT,” he said.

With SAT prep, GPA requirements, community service hours and extracurricular activities, time management can be the most important skill to develop during high school. “This is what life is all about — it really doesn’t get any easier once you graduate from high school,” said Roddy, “Time management skills are essential in the grown-up world. Getting things done, coping with situational adversity, handling daily challenges are just a few things that await you in a career, at home and your social life.”

Some students can end up regretting not having taken advantage of early college preparation. “I wish I would have started being more responsible with my grades from the beginning of high school rather than leaving it till the last minute,” said Esteban Palacino, a college freshman. “If I had done so, I would probably be sitting in classroom at a major university right now.”

Palacino is a student at Miami Dade College. “Now I plan to transfer to a better university by doing what I didn’t do in high school,” he said. “I didn’t put in as much effort as I could have, and I wasn’t responsible enough about studying and completing my assignments.”

All these aspects of college preparation might seem overwhelming and confusing when looked at all together, but by planning out when different tasks should be completed, it will be easier to accomplish in time for the senior year admissions process.

Intern Andrea Cruz is a senior at Dr. Michael Krop High School.

Here are the basics: Freshman Year *Enroll in courses related to the major or career you wish to pursue in college. *Become involved in clubs and other co-curricular activities. Try a few to find out    what you are interested in. *Meet your high school guidance counselor to discuss college plans. *Begin saving money for college. *Choose challenging courses and start building a strong GPA.  Sophomore Year *Register to take the PSAT in October. The results will help you determine where you are in terms of SAT preparation. *Narrow down your co-curricular activities and dedicate more time to them. *Begin exploring community service opportunities. All high schools have a requirement of hours for graduation. *Begin researching colleges and universities you might be interested in. *Continue working on your GPA. Consider taking honors and AP classes.  Junior Year *Register for the October PSAT and consider taking SAT or ACT prep courses. Take the SAT during the second semester to allow time for retakes and early decision deadlines. *Aim for officer positions within your clubs or co-curricular activities and stay involved. *Complete community service hours. Scholarships and high schools have different requirements. *Attend college fairs and visit college campuses. *Focus on your GPA. Junior year can weigh the heaviest when colleges are considering admissions. Senior Year *If you haven’t done so, get the SAT out of the way before winter break. *Complete all application requirements, such as essays and recommendation letters, well before the deadlines. *Research and apply for scholarships and complete financial aid applications. *Make sure first semester grades are the best they can be. *Some colleges and scholarships may require full senior year transcripts, so do not catch Senioritis! Enjoy your last year in high school, but continue to be responsible. — Andrea Cruz

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