Position Paper: Youth Issues

By: Louie Jay J. Bialan

There's a common misconception about your senior year of high school, it's
supposed to be the easiest of the four. Rather than easy, it's one of the most stressful
times in an adolescent's life. Not because of classes or teachers or friends, but because
of college. Deciding on colleges to apply to is very hard for most teens. Often times, it's
difficult even finding where to start, but there is a general checklist when looking for
colleges.

The college application process should begin before your senior year starts so
that you know the standards you may need to meet in the upcoming school year. The
first thing to think about when applying to college is your major. What do you want to
do? If you don't know, what interests you? From there you can research the number of
colleges with a major describing what you would like to study. If you are still unsure,
that's okay because you can declare as a liberal arts major, or you can even wait until
after your second year to declare a major. Choosing that option will give you the
opportunity to explore the different areas of study. Just remember that if you are
undecided, you should look into schools that have a wide variety of majors. Once you
decide on a few schools you definitely want to look at their requirements and see what
you do and don't have, then work at what you need to achieve by application deadlines.
Might that be extracurricular, grades. Another very important thing you should hone in
on when looking for colleges is the cost. You should definitely speak to your parents
and see what they can afford to pay for, if anything at all. If not, then it's clear that you
alone are the one financially responsible for college. Considering the cost is extremely
important because many times a student will apply for a school, get in, and not be able
to afford it on their own. They are then forced to take out student loans if; financial ai d,
scholarships and grants aren't provided to the student. Speaking of which, applying for
financial aid scholarships and grants are key to helping avoid student loan debt! The
more you receive the less you actually have to pay for.

These are but some of the very core ideas you should be considering when
applying to college, of course there are many other things to think about. Where would
you like to go? Do you want to stay at home or dorm on campus? Do you want to join
clubs and activities? Look for schools that have them. College is much different than
high school. You are more independent and more in control of everything you do. So
choose wisely in your academic endeavors.