Table of Contents
Part 3 Continuing Your Education with College
Chapter 6 The College Search 124
Consult Your Best Resources 126
Figuring Out What You Want in a College 129
Campus Visits 131
The Admissions Interview 134
Should You Try for a Highly Competitive School? 140
The Bottom Line: Choose What's Right for You 143
Chapter 7 Applying to College 144
Your College Application 146
How You're Evaluated 150
Your Admissions Options 151
The Gap-Year Option 154
Admission Procedures 156
Writing the Application Essay 157
Questions and Answers about Your College Essay 165
Letters of Recommendation 167
Chapter 8 College Entrance Exams 170
What to Know about Standardized Tests 172
PSAT/NMSQT®, SAT®, and ACT® 172
What Other Tests Should I Know About? 176
What Can I Do to Prepare for These Tests? 179
Chapter 9 Financing Your College Plans 182
The Current State of Financial Aid 184
Financial Aid: The Basics 185
Applying for Financial Aid 187
Types of Financial Aid 189
Types of Federal Aid 190
Scholarships 101 191
Making Sense of Student Loans 202
Families' Guide to Tax Cuts for Education 206
You Can Fund Your Education 207
Part 4 Success in College and in Your Career
Chapter 10 Academic Expectations in College 210
Choosing Classes 212
Choosing Your Major 213
Campus Resources and Support 221
Attending College with a Disability 225
Transferring 227
You Have What You Need to Succeed 229
Chapter 11 Preparing for College and Adult Life 230
Mentally Preparing for Adult Life 232
How to Say No Thanks to Stress 233
Time Management 236
Independent Living 237
Drugs and Alcohol: Are You at Risk? 239
Mental Health Concerns 242
Setting and Honoring Boundaries 243
Safety on Campus and in Life 250
Chapter 12 You and the Workplace 252
Choosing a Career 254
Job Hunting 257
Putting Together Your Résumé 258
Additional Job Application Materials 264
The Job Interview 266
On the Job 268
What Employers Expect from Employees 270
You've Got Your Whole Life Ahead of You 271
Part 5 Appendixes
Appendix A High School to College Timeline 274
Appendix B Additional Resources for Underserved Student Populations 278