Colette Moffroid | A&E editor
October 2, 2024
With the college application season approaching for seniors, high school juniors are also entering their college journey. Many students are just beginning to formulate their lists and sign up for college testing and tours. As students dive deeper into the college process, new facts are constantly revealing themselves. With juniors preparing for the PSAT and seniors studying for the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test), it is important to remember that there is another option as well: the ACT (American College Testing). For students interested in pursuing STEM majors, the ACT would be a good choice due to its science component, since the SAT only includes Math and English sections. Junior Megan Dougherty states that “[she] will be taking both the SAT and the ACT, just in case.” Although not all colleges require both, it may be in your best interest to apply yourself to both tests regardless of your major to be able to include your top score on your college applications.
Another step in the process is to tour the colleges and universities that fit your criteria. With over 5,000 schools available to students in the United States alone, it is important to have an idea of what you are interested in before exploring the many vastly different opportunities. Junior Margot Lee expressed that “[she] doesn’t know what [she] wants to do yet, but [she] wants to tour colleges in California that offer the different programs [she] likes.” With the typical college tour lasting around two hours, they provide a great snapshot of on-campus life: including a showing of the dining halls, dorm rooms, and a first-hand description of students’ day-to-day life from the student tour guides. Many students may find it easier and more cost-effective to take the online tours that most schools offer.
After you have your list of schools that are a good fit for you and your educational pursuits, shift your sight toward the application process. About 1,000 colleges and universities use the Common App for their application process. However, particularly for California students, the University of California system does not. Along with that, the California State schools also have their own application system. With many different application styles, it is comforting to know that almost all application essays have similar prompts that save time when application season begins.
After realizing just how intricate and long the college process is, it is never too early to start thinking about your future and formulate a plan. Even though many students do not have an idea of what major they would like to pursue, it is helpful to educate yourself on the different steps that go into college applications starting from the beginning, with testing and service hours. Another thing to remember is that you are not alone with your class. The college and career center, private college counselors, and San Clemente alumni are all here to assist the future San Clemente High School graduates with their college and university goals.
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