How to get into college will guide you through the college admissions process—taking you from selecting your high school classes all the way through getting those application materials in on time.

• You can get into college working all on your own, but it won't be easy. Your best bet is to find allies who will help you achieve your academic goals and create a successful college application.

• Yourself aside, your parents are probably the people the most committed to helping you achieve your academic goals. They're also an important resource when it comes to paying for college.

1. If you don't think that your parents have planned on you going to college, do some research on paying for college and on the kind of schools you think you'd like to attend. They'll respect the fact that you've already done some research and will be more likely to listen to your ideas.
2. Ask your parents to sit down and talk with you about your academic and career goals. Speak with them about what you want to get out of college and why you think it's a good idea for you. Get them excited for you.
3. Make sure that you listen to what your parents have to say. They could have some valuable advice for you and may already have made some financial preparations for your pending college career.
4. Keep your parents informed as you continue with your plans. Use their help and guidance. Even if they're not entirely supportive, it's important to let them know how your plans are coming along. Your perseverance might even convince them to help.

• Consider your counselor as your local expert advisor. She'll know all about the application process and profiles of individual schools, as well as have insight into how you can best present yourself as a candidate for admission. She will also probably need to provide some of the application materials to the colleges you choose.

1. Start working with your counselor early on. It's not a bad idea to start planning out the courses you're going to take in high school as early as your last year or two in middle school. The class choices you make freshman year can determine what courses you can take for the rest of your time in high school.
2. Make an appointment with your counselor. If your school is large, her time may be at a premium.
3. Prepare some questions and ideas that you want to discuss. The College Board has some suggestions on questions to ask. Prioritize your questions, so that you'll get the most important ones answered even if you run out of time. Important points to cover include:
   1. How do you stack up so far as a candidate? Where can you improve your resume?
   2. How many years of high school classes should you take in each subject area?
   3. How can you be sure to fit all of the necessary courses into your schedule?
   4. Should you consider taking honors or AP courses?
   5. What elective courses should you take?
   6. Is it possible to take classes at a local community college?
   7. Can you get help preparing for the SAT or ACT?
   8. What kind of grades do you need to get in high school so you can get into the colleges you want to attend?
   9. Can you get information on different schools to help you to start exploring your options?
   10. What colleges do kids from your school tend to apply to?
   11. How can you start looking for money to pay for college?
4. Take a notebook and a pen or pencil. Your counselor's advice will do you no good if you can't remember it.
5. Thank your counselor and ask for a follow-up meeting. She's more likely to find time for you if you're courteous, and she can help you all the way through the application process.

• Most colleges require a teacher recommendation as part of the admissions application. Also, a good teacher will care about helping you succeed academically.

1. Maintain positive relationships with as many teachers as possible. Though you may not need them all to write recommendations, their advice and good will are invaluable.
2. Keep an eye out for a teacher that you think is sympathetic to you and likely to take an interest in helping you with the college application process.
3. Talk to your teachers about their own experiences with the application process. Their insight could be useful, and they'll also appreciate that you've taken the time to ask. Ask them if they have any advice for you.
4. Decide on which one or two teachers you'll ask for a recommendation. Students often ask their junior year English or history teachers for recommendations.
5. Ask for the recommendations at the beginning of senior year, or even at the end of junior year. If you leave this until later, teachers may already have an overload of requests. Also, if for whatever reason they can't write one for you, you'll have time to find someone else.

• Here's where help from your parents becomes key.

1. Calculate the cost. The College Board has a great online tool to help you determine how much college will cost by the time you begin paying tuition. The National Center for Education Statistics reports that the average cost to attend a private, 4-year college from 2005-2006 was $27,317, and for a public college, $12,108. However, FinAid suggests that tuition costs tend to increase at about twice the rate of general inflation, so don't expect those numbers to stay put.
2. Set aside money in advance, beginning as early as possible. According to FinAid, parents should prepare to pay half or more of their child's college tuition. FinAid also has a list of popular college savings plans. Certain plans, such as Section 529 plans, allow you to avoid paying federal taxes on the money you save.
3. Research federal student aid. The government provides low-interest loans to students who need them. If you go into certain professions, such as teaching, there's even a chance you could be forgiven part of the loan and not have to pay it back.
   • Visit Mahalo's How to Get a Student Loan for additional information.
4. Search for scholarships. Don't hesitate to start early. You'd be surprised at the amount of free college money out there. Colleges themselves often provide financial aid to students who really need it. They also may offer scholarships. Once you decide what college you want to attend, get in touch with their financial aid office for more information.

• According to Howard and Matthew Green, getting good grades in demanding high school courses is the single most important factor in determining whether or not you get into the college of your choice.

1. Consult your guidance or career counselor about which classes to take. The ideal situation would be to get great grades in really tough courses. Don't fill your schedule with easy classes just so you can get As. Most colleges will also expect to see that you have taken a certain number of years in given subjects. For instance, according to the U.S. Department of Education, you should probably take four years of English, at least three years of math, and two or more years of science, social studies, and a foreign language.
2. Make an effort to express yourself through your elective classes. If you enjoy music, join the school band or chorus. If you're interested in politics, take a semester course in government, or join the debate team.
3. Consider taking classes at a nearby community college. Colleges will like to see that you can do college-level work. If there are AP or other high-level classes that your high school doesn't offer, you might be able to find a substitute there.

• According to an interview published by U.S. News and World Report, colleges want to see a deep interest in and commitment to activities outside of class.

1. Discover your passions. College admissions personnel appreciate genuine interest in non-academic activities.
2. Volunteer. Providing a community service related to an activity you enjoy is a great way to score points for yourself with the admissions committee.
3. Show dedication. This is one way colleges can tell whether you're really interested in an activity, or only doing it so you can look good on the application. Don't join every activity in school for one semester and then drop them.
4. Seek out leadership opportunities. Don't just join the recycling team—head it up! Love your drama club? Organize some fundraisers. You don't need to wait for your big chance to fall in your lap—seek it out and make it happen.
5. Make a meaningful contribution. If you can find a cause you're passionate about and do something to help. You'll be just as pleased about it as the admissions board.

• While you may feel that you'll be grateful to any college that accepts you, remember that you're the customer. You need to decide what's right for you.

1. Determine your key criteria. It's up to you to decide what matters, but some major differences between colleges include:
   1. Public or private?
   2. Near home or far?
   3. Big or small?
   4. Urban, suburban, or rural?
   5. Specialty or liberal arts?
   6. Four years or two?
2. Search for colleges that fit your criteria. Talk to your parents, guidance counselor, and teachers about any schools they could suggest that you may not have considered.
3. Check out at least a few colleges that don't match your exact specifications. You may think you want to attend a large college, but a specific small school may surprise you with its charm and location.
4. Narrow down your list. It's good to keep an open mind, but eventually you'll need to choose just a few schools to which you will actually apply. Many colleges charge $50 or more just to consider your application, and filling out individual forms can take up considerable amounts of time. Plan on submitting applications to between 5 and 10 schools.
5. Include some reaches and some sure things. Your counselor can help you with this. If you only apply to schools that are really hard to get into, you might be left out in the cold. If you only apply to schools that you know will accept you, you may be selling yourself short.
6. Visit campuses. Schools like to see that you're interested enough to go see them. You'll also get a better idea of whether it's the right place for you.

• Although many colleges no longer require standardized admissions test scores, some still do. For these schools, SAT and ACT scores are a way to narrow down their pool of applicants and look good in college ranking lists.

1. Find out if the schools you're applying to require an admissions test, and if so, which one.
2. Decide which tests to take. The SAT tests your reasoning abilities. How well can you think things out? The ACT is more like a subject test. It gives colleges an idea of how well you know the material you've already studied in high school. If your schools only accept one of the two, that's the one you should take. However, it makes a lot of sense to take both and see which one you do better on.
3. Prepare for the test. The College Board provides some advice and practice questions on their website. Find out from your guidance counselor whether your high school offers any test prep classes. You could also consider paying for classes or private tutoring with a test prep company, such as Kaplan or Princeton Review.
4. Register for a specific test date. Many students take the SAT in the spring of their junior year and then again in the fall of senior year.
5. Take the test. Make sure you get plenty of sleep the night before. Bring some water to the test center to keep yourself hydrated, and a snack for an energy boost. Don't forget your photo ID and calculator.
6. Consider whether or not you will retake the test. The lower your score is the first time you take the test, the more likely it is to go up if you take the test a second time.

• Colleges will not be impressed if you can't follow their instructions for applying. For many colleges you can fill out the common application, while for others you'll need to fill out forms and supplements specific to that school. The following steps are relevant for most applications, but be sure to check with your chosen colleges for specific instructions.

1. Keep track of what you've done so far towards completing your applications.
2. Decide if you want to apply early decision or early action. You may have a better chance of getting into certain schools if you apply early. However, be aware that early decision applications are binding. If the one school that you apply to early decision accepts you, then you're obligated to attend.
3. Read instructions carefully.
4. Obtain outstanding recommendations. Ask your teachers early on in the year if they'll write one for you. English teachers especially can become loaded down with requests, so they won't appreciate it if you leave this until the last minute. You'll need to give your teacher the necessary forms, as well as a stamped envelope addressed to the college's admissions office. Most colleges don't allow you to read your own teacher recommendations.
5. Have your school counselor or other member of the faculty or administration complete your secondary school evaluation and submit your high school transcript.
6. Put together a list of your experiences and achievements.
7. Fill out the application forms.
8. Write your essay. Your English teacher may even give you time to work on this in class, and can certainly give you some tips.
9. Complete any special supplements that your chosen colleges require.
10. Write a check for the application fee.
11. Have your school send a mid-year report.
12. Have your school send a final report. Second semester senior grades do count!
13. Set up a college interview if your schools require one, and perhaps even if they don't. Usually, a bad interview won't hurt you much, but a great interview can be the key to getting into the school of your choice.

• In concept, this is the easiest step to complete. In practice, it's one that many people may fumble.

1. Make an application calendar.
2. For each application, make a checklist of the materials you need to include.
3. Double-check with people who are providing materials for you.
4. Double-check that you've included all the required elements.
5. Send your materials with time to spare. It's a good idea to call the admissions office at each school to make sure that they've received everything.