Going to college is an exciting time but there are certain factors you may need to consider before you commit to your preferred college. We don't want you to feel overwhelmed so we've gathered all you need to know about how to commit to a college. Keep reading to find out.
Committing to a college means you are officially joining that institution or declaring that you are a member of that college and the school. You're expressing your interest to attend that particular university. It sounds simple, but there is a whole process that you need to consider.
Ensure that the information in the admission is correct. For instance, are you accepted for the fall, spring, summer, or winter? Which campus, department or program are you expected to attend?
If you're a financial aid recipient, ensure that you understand the terms of the loan or scholarship and make sure that you understand how much you and your family are responsible for.
Most colleges require an official transcript from your high school. Official versions are usually sent directly by the school to your email address. Or it may be given to you in an envelope so that you can send it to your college. Now let's get into the nitty-gritty.
When it comes to committing to college, this is the most important item that people tend to forget. You have to follow this step, especially if you were accepted somewhere else with a scholarship or accepted into a competitive program.
When you've made a commitment to an institution and notify the other schools that you won't be joining, it allows them to offer your space to another student who qualifies. If there's any financial aid tied to you, then those funds roll over to the next deserving person.
Withdrawing your application is easy. Most colleges allow you to do so online or request that you send an email to finalize things. You shouldn't be anxious about it, just let them know and everything will be fine.
Some schools will need you to do a placement test before or after submitting an enrollment deposit. You have to ensure that you do them both and in the correct order. The enrollment deposit is a fee that secures your spot in the college. If you want to stay on campus, you may have to pay a deposit for that too.
Placement testing will point you in the direction of which classes you must take and which ones you can skip. Your performance in that test determines whether you take a basic course or college-level class.
So, it's important that you take the test seriously and put in all your effort. It makes it or breaks it!
We have to add that you can't study for a placement test. While the score is important, they aren't used to securing scholarships, so you don't have to worry about that.
Orientation is probably one of the most memorable college experiences you'll have. It helps you adjust to university and the campus you'll be attending, while also being a great way to make new friends that may last a lifetime. Many people are still in touch with the people they met during orientation. Try your best to attend orientation, it's an awesome opportunity to get your feet wet.
Of course, the world is much different with a pandemic but it's still imperative that you participate. Orientation usually happens during the summer, it lasts from a few days to a couple of weeks. Every school has its way of conducting orientation, however, most of them include sessions, Q&As, and opportunities for you to meet other students.
Whether or not you have to attend orientation on campus, every school will have enough resources for you to access to get accustomed to the college.
Once you've committed to a school, you'll probably start wondering about what college will be like. A huge part of that is the roommate you pick. You can choose to go the random route or you can handpick someone. With handpicking, some join Facebook groups, GroupMe chats, and other online forums. These are useful methods to meet students looking for roommates.
It's recommended that you join Zeemee. The app is designed to assist high school students and college students in connecting to make the college experience easier. It's a cross between Discord and a dating application. It's super easy and convenient to find a suitable roommate.
Most students are excited about how their dorm room will look. If you love designing and decorating, this part is a wonderful treat for you. Before you start going crazy with the shopping, create a spreadsheet of the things you need and the things you already have. Some websites offer checklists for all your college bedroom needs, so you could use that to help you purchase and pack your stuff.
Also, you may want to consider logistics. Are you attending somewhere far from home? Or close by? You may need a U-haul to move your belongings.
Once you've committed to a college, it's best to start looking for a scholarship. Depending on what financial aid information you received from your school, you may find some openings around what you have been awarded and how much you'll have to pay.
The great thing is that there are scholarships available even after you've graduated from high school until you graduate from college or grad school.
After you've completed the process of committing to college, you can take some time out to rest and relax. Soon your life will be much different than before, so take a moment to enjoy where you are. You may feel excited about jumping into the next chapter, but take a break before you start preparing your dorm room because you deserve a break.
Even though you have a break, don't take too long to start your preparations. Start learning how to balance your life early because, in college, you're going to juggle many things at the same time.
You want to be able to connect with all the relevant stakeholders in your academic career and setting up a college email address is the first step. Each school will have its way of setting up the email address, and the instructions are usually available on the college's website.
Once all these are done, you'll want to do all the following to fully immerse yourself in your college.
Join the Facebook group for freshmen. Also, follow the social media of the admissions office and other academic departments and clubs so you don’t miss out on important announcements or events.
If you qualify, do your research on when you can start applying for positions on campus. Remember that the best jobs are usually picked up quickly.
With the pandemic, there are constant changes that the university has to communicate with the students. So check social media and your emails for updates.
Read every bit of information you receive from the college with your parents, especially anything that has to do with making payments or deposits. Here are the most important ones you can expect.
Check with the admissions office for further information.
When you get admitted to different colleges, it may be difficult for you to decide which one to go to. But, you should celebrate all this as an accomplishment. But, you need to take care of all the details surrounding committing to a college after you accept an admission offer. From there on, you can enjoy your summer and look forward to what college life has in store for you.