College is increasingly becoming part of every student’s academic path.
But most students don’t know where to begin when it comes to applying for college.
A semester-long introductory course to the college application process should be offered to Cal High juniors and seniors because it would help clear up any confusion when they’re applying to college.
Such a class would allow students to work on their applications in school while receiving help and guidance from teachers and counselors. A designated time during school for students to do this would ease the stress of completing college applications on their own.
Some students don’t have parents or older siblings who attended college in the United States, making the process totally foreign once senior year rolls around.
Without assistance and guidance from their families, students looking to apply to college must navigate the complicated process and make important academic decisions on their own.
Some families hire college counselors to help students figure out what colleges to apply to and how to apply to them. They also assist students in writing college essays and enhancing their college resumé.
But most college counselors are expensive. Parents are already planning to pay the high costs that come with just applying to colleges, not to mention astronomical tuition rates once their students get accepted.
The last thing many parents want to do is spend more money on an expensive college counselor.
Students who have older siblings in college or parents who attended college in the US will have some guidance with the application process. But more and more changes seem to be implemented to the college admissions process each year.
More schools in the nation no longer require students to submit scores from standardized tests, such as the SAT and ACT, when applying.
Schools like New York University and the Universities of California have become test-optional and do not require students to submit their standardized test scores.
Ultimately, a college prep class would provide a huge benefit for students to understand the complicated college application process and receive help in class from qualified professionals.
