Some experts recommend that you prep for college as early as middle school. This may sound completely ludicrous, but it makes more and more sense as colleges become more expensive and more competitive. Sure, you probably aren’t thinking of college in middle school, but your parents may be and they can relay some of the benefits of prepping this early. Of course, not every student will be ready in middle school, which is why waiting until the second year of high school may be the most appropriate. Indeed, there are a lot of reasons to prep early – from making sure your stress levels are managed to making sure you find a college you can get excited about. Here are five reasons to prep for college early.
1. You’ll Want to Focus on Your End-of-Year Responsibilities and Not College
At the end of high school, you’ll want to be focusing on tying up loose ends – not fielding acceptance and rejection letters. Moreover, you don’t want to be scrambling to sort out your college plans. Sorting your plans out ahead of time will let you finish high school without any stress.
2. You Don’t want to Stress Out About Getting Prepared for College
Stress is a big factor that deserves its own point, because many students don’t apply for college or get ready for college until its too late. By that point, you not only have high school finals – you also have to write your college essays, go on college tours, meet with universities and much more. To avoid stress, you’ll want to prep early.
3. You Will Have More Time to Study for Your SATs
When you prep early, you will have a lot more time to do well on your SATs, which will increase your chances of getting into a good college. Moreover, you will have more time to work with a professional SAT tutor, which could help you boost your score. If you are intimidated about your SAT, it is critical that you study and prepare for the exam way in advance – possibly years in advance.
4. You Will Have More Leeway When it Comes to Applying for Financial Aid
Whether you are getting UNE’s masters in social work degree, or a technology degree from MIT, you’ll want to prep early for the sake of having more leeway when it comes to getting financial aid. Indeed, many financial aid programs can take a long time to process your application. If you don’t file as early as possible, you may not have the money you need to cover tuition at your college of choice.
5. You Will be Able to Find a College You Really Love
On top of everything, one of the number one reasons to prep for college early is because you want to find a college you really love. It takes time and patience to search for a college that you feel excited about. If you rush, you could wind up applying to a third or fourth choice. In the end, the earlier you prep, the better your chances of finding a college you are really passionate about.