March newsletter for Juniors By Unigo
Dear Juniors,
This month is the perfect time to kick off your college search. Maybe you’ve already gotten a head start – visited a few nearby campuses, browsed some .edu websites, or even attended a local college fair. If so, give yourself a pat on the back. It’s never too early to start planning your future. If not, don’t fret. There’s still plenty of time to research, visit, make lists, and lie awake all night worrying about your SAT scores (just kidding!). Here are a few ways that you can jumpstart your college search in March:
Make a List
You probably already have a few schools in mind that you’d like to check out. Maybe you’ve always dreamed of going to an Ivy League School. Or maybe you got some ideas by browsing our 2011 College Rankings. Either way, writing out that initial list of schools you’d like to research or even visit is a great way to get the gears in motion.
Visit a campus
Before you fly across the country to visit your dream school or drag the whole family around in a camper for a multi-day college tour, find a school that’s close by and do a day trip. Take an official tour, explore the campus on your own, sit in on a class, eat in a dining hall, and make sure to chat with a student or two while you’re there. Don’t worry, most college students don’t bite.
Research scholarships opportunities
For many students, the most stressful part of the college admissions process is figuring out how to pay for it. But this process doesn’t have to be a nightmare if you start early, work hard, and stay organized. Websites like scholarships.com and fastweb.com are great sources where you can plug in all of your personal information, interests, intended major and see a long list of scholarships which you are personally eligible for. You should also make sure to contact your high school counselor and other community leaders to inquire about any local scholarship opportunities.
As always, Unigo is here to help you through every step of the process. Our network of Admissions and Financial Aid experts are eager to give you advice on the types of schools you should be looking at, and ways to get the most out of your financial aid package. You can also talk with college students from the schools you’re interested in and get the inside scoop you won’t hear on a campus tour.
And if you have any questions, shoot us a line at [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.