Freshman Information

Georgia's College Connector provides information, tools, and resources to help make getting ready for college and your future career easier. Let Georgia's College and Career Guide be your guide to explore your options, plan for your future and succeed!    Click HERE.

THIS GUIDE IS TO HELP YOU PREPARE YOUR OWN CHECKLIST. YOURS MAY VARY BECAUSE THE NEEDS AND GOALS OF INVIDIUALS VARY. NONETHELESS, THERE ARE FOUR BASIC POINTERS THAT ARE PROBABLY UNIVERSAL AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FROM THE NINTH GRADE ON. THEY ARE:

Study: 
There is no substitute for personal effort in the learning process.

Save: 
Even a dollar a week over a few years can add up.

Plan Carefully: 
Be sure that the courses you take are the ones needed to meet admissions requirements.

Don't Procastinate: 
Start studying now for the PSAT.  It's not too early.

Use your checklist to plan and time the actions you need to take to ensure a smooth transition to the college or other postsecondary school of your choice. Plans of action include target dates, so, wherever possible, include a specific date by which you want or need to complete a particular item. Where appropriate, indicate the dates on which you actually accomplished steps on your checklist.

 
_____  Check with your counseling office for materials or tests of aptitude or skills assessment.

 
_____  Investigate career information in areas that interest you and match your abilities.


_____  Analyze the courses you should be taking throughout high school to prepare for those careers.

 
_____  Discuss career interests and postsecondary education possibilities with your parents.

 
_____  Build strong academic skills by taking challenging classes in English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, and a foreign language.

 
_____  Get involved at school. Participating in sports, clubs, and community service makes high school more fun and will help you develop leadership and teamwork skills that colleges value.

 
_____  Pay closer attention to people and the jobs they do and give some thought to possible career choices for yourself. Talk to adults in a variety of professions to determine what they like and dislike about their jobs and what skills, characteristics, and academic backgrounds are required.

 
_____  Start a list of activities, awards, community service, and other unique educational experiences to add to your list throughout high school. This will serve as the beginning of a resume that you can use when writing college and scholarship applications.

 
_____  Ask your parents about how much they think they can help with paying for your future education. Work together to establish a savings plan that you can participate in. Learn about financial aid.

 
_____  Talk to older siblings or your friends' siblings who are attending college or vocational school; consider how you would feel about attending that kind of school.

 
_____  Whenever you can, visit a college campus. Even just driving through will give you a feel for different campus settings.