By the numbers
A college degree increases your employment options and provides economic stability. Below are the unemployment rates and earnings by educational attainment in 2016.
Your to-do list
- From taking admission tests to scheduling campus tours — junior year is a critical time for college-bound students.
- Start researching colleges and universities. Go to college fairs and open houses. Learn as much as you can about colleges online.
- Begin planning college visits. Try to visit colleges near you over spring break. Include a large, medium size, and small campus.
- Develop a preliminary list of colleges that interest you. Go online to request additional information.
- Take a look at some college applications. Make a list of teachers, counselors, employers, and other adults who could write letters of recommendation.
- Consider lining up a summer job or internship.
You’re in
What does it take to get into college? Here are the top factors admission officers consider when reviewing student applications, ranked by importance:
- Grades in college prep courses
- Strength of curriculum
- Grades in all courses
- SAT or ACT scores
- Essay or writing sample
Find your match
Visit an NACAC National College Fair to explore all your options.
Why? Admission representatives from colleges across the nation all gather in one place, making it easy to compare apples to apples.
Where & when? Go to nacacfairs.org to find a fair near you.
Free and open to the public.
Fact: Students who meet one-on-one with a high school counselor to discuss admission and financial aid are three times more likely to enroll in college.
SOURCE: Georgetown University, Executive Summary: The College Payoff Report, [email protected]