How to Prepare for College Successfully!
Your teenager, a junior in high school, desires to pursue a career through a college education. How do you proceed? In this post, I will share how to prepare for college.
#1 – Visit the High School Guidance Counselor
Your son, Jon, a high school sophomore, is interested in pursuing a 2-year nursing program after high school graduation. Before the end of the school year, you visit with Jon’s high school guidance counselor to discuss this. During your visit, the counselor:
a. suggests high school courses that will best prepare him for college coursework, if this hasn’t already been decided
b. discusses advanced placement courses and dual enrollment options
c. provides information about colleges offering nursing programs
d. provides information about scholarships and other forms of financial assistance to explore
e. provides a list of resources and activities to allow Jon to explore nursing as a career
f. suggests Jon visit colleges he might be interested in attending
Next, your next step to prepare for college will be contacting the admissions office to set up an appointment with a college admissions advisor and the nursing department, all steps to prepare for college.
Home school parents may contact the umbrella school or other similar school organization from which students receive their diploma to prepare for college.
#2 – Visit a College
By visiting colleges, students are provided with information to compare and contrast advantages and disadvantages of each.
A. Meet the College Admissions Advisor
You and Jon meet with the college admissions advisor. Jon shares academic records and class coursework completed thus far in high school. This information assists the advisor in recommending other coursework to complete in high school or as dual enrollment in preparation for entering a nursing program. The advisor alss provides general information of possible scholarships and other financial assistance. This information may also be helpful to share with the high school guidance counselor.
When meeting with the admissions advisor, there will likely be a conversation regarding admission requirements. One of those requirements may include obtaining a certain score on a specific college readiness test such as the A.C.T., S.A.T,, C.L.T, or other similar test. Each college sets its own level of acceptable scores. For example, one college might require an A.C.T. score of 19, whereas another college might require a score of 23. Also note that specific programs may also require additional testing beyond college readiness tests as requested by specific programs.
B. Take the Campus Tour
Next, a campus is provided. This allows Jon to determine if it mets his needs and interests.
(During five years of my academic endeavors, I attended a college where the classroom, dormitory, and hospital were all connected by an underground tunnel. Talk about convenience!)
C. Meet the Program Director
After eating lunch in the local cafeteria, Jon meets with the director of the nursing program. During this visit, Jon is provided an outline of the specific requirements, and course work required to obtain the Associate of Science in Nursing degree. During his visit, Jon asks how far into the program until he is able to work with patients. As he listens, he is quite pleased to find out that he will work with his first patient in the second semester of his first year.
In addition, the director points out that taking the program in two years will require rigorous efforts on his part academically and clinically. Jon nods in agreement and shares that he is planning on taking advanced placement courses in Biology 2 and Chemistry during his junior year in high school. He also asks if there are opportunities for job shadowing or volunteer work in the community that would best prepare him for the clinical aspect of his career. The director nods and adds that he is off to a great start!
If the program director is away, another person will provide the information for the student and answer questions. this contact is important as it helps students determine if the program offered is what they are interested in. In addition, it is also valuable to inquire about other related programs.
In addition, it is important for students exploring college options to note that some colleges only provide the prerequisites for certain degrees. After completing those prerequisites, the student must transfer to another college to complete the degree.
# 3 Details Matter: What’s in a Name?
Furthermore, students need to also understand the difference between similar-sounding degrees. For example, obtaining a dental hygienist degree will take 4 – 5 years of college, whereas dental assisting may only require 1 – 2 years.
Nurse:
Licensed Practical Nurse!
Registered Nurse!
Licensed Nurse Practitioner!
One of my favorite sites for learning about different occupations is the Occupational Outlook Handbook. Students are able to select a career and learn about it and similar careers. It is a wonderful resource for high school students exploring careers!
https://www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm,
#4 – College Testing and Accommodations
Testing and Course Accommodations
Accommodations provided may vary on the test and specific location of the testing site. Due to this, I highly recommend that parents begin to prepare for college by exploring accommodations at least a year before a student is scheduled to take a test. Also, be aware that policies and procedures can change from one year to the next.
To prepare, contact the high school counselor and special education teacher to ensure all documentation is prepared in a timely manner. This information may be helpful for receiving accommodations at the college level. Students using wheel chairs or those with other physical challenges may also need documentation from a physician. Having accurate and timely documentation will assist the college admissions advisor and testing center staff to meet the needs of the student.
Provision of this information is helpful for providing accommodations for both testing and course work. For example, accommodations at the college level may include:
Alternate Format Textbooks
Assistive Technology
Assisted Listening Devices
Braille Materials
Sign Language Interpreters
Also note that as technology changes, other accommodations may be available. For example, at the time of this post, AI has become quite the conversation.
Yes, I am repeating myself. Before visiting the college, ask about the required documentation needed to ensure students are able to receive accommodations for both testing and course work. This documentation could include but not be limited to:
1. Student IEP from the high school
2. Medical documentation
Always ask, and then ask again.
After collecting all of the documentation for accommodations, ask what department of the college provides accommodations or arranges for use of special equipment and materials related to coursework.
You’ve got this!
Conclusion
In conclusion,
In our “just Google it” mind set, it is important to recognize that the information we find on the internet may not be accurate or up to date. Due to this, I can’t emphasize enough, the importance of visiting the college admissions office and testing centers to obtain the most current information to prepare for college.
Prepare for College! You’ve got this!
Looking for More Materials?
Click the button below to view more of my educational resources!