College: Myth vs. Reality
Myth
Reality
High School students should take a gap year...
Some high school graduates are just not ready for college (for personal, family, financial, or other reasons), and would benefit from a gap year, or at least some time spent outside of school. However, new data on our Englewood graduates has found that students who enroll in college immediately after high school are 16 times more likely to finish a degree.
You must choose a major right away...
Not only is this not true, it might not be smart. Studies reveal that more than 70% of college students change majors at least once. Also, each time you switch majors, you risk losing credits due to different gradation requirements. Better idea: get your core courses out of the way first (English, math, science, etc), take some interesting electives to fill general elective credits, then pick a major sophomore or junior year, after you've had the chance to pinpoint your passions.
College is so much harder than high school...
Substitute "different" for "harder" and you might just be onto something. For Englewood students specifically, a recent report showed that students taking Concurrent Enrollment (CE) classes are 5.75 times more likely to persist in college. The difficult part for most college students is learning how to handle the newfound freedom and responsibilities that larger class sizes, more unscheduled time, and about a million distractions bring
The process of applying for financial aid is too complicated...
It can feel very complicated, true. But for many schools, the only step involved in applying for financial aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We are here to support you through every step of the FAFSA and ease the process. in order to make it go as smoothly as possible, we recommend filing taxes as early as you are able. Englewood students who complete the FAFSA are 5.01 times more likely to persist in college
Applying to two schools is enough...
A good rule of thumb to follow is to apply to at 1 - 3 schools.
1. Dream/Reach schools - these are schools that you would love to go to, that have great programs for you, but based on your test scores/GPA and finances, admission might be a bit out of reach.
2. Target/Match schools - These are schools that could go either way. You will likely get in and can find ways to pay for it with scholarships and without going in to massive amounts of debt.
3. Safety schools - It's a good idea to have a back up plan both financially and academically. Life happens and in case other options fall through, you will still have options to further your education.
Applying to college is expensive...
While application fees can range from $50-$100, there are a number of students who qualify for fee waivers. Do you receive free or reduced lunch? Were you eligible to use a waiver on the SAT? Talk to a counselor if you think you qualify and we can get a fee waiver for you. Additionally, some schools (community colleges and technical schools) may not have a fee waiver. Talk to Lexie about getting a promo code!
Affording college is impossible for DACA/undocumented students...
Thanks to ASSET, undocumented and DACA students in Colorado may qualify for in-state tuition rates at select institutions. Even though DACA/undocumented students don't qualify for federal funding, schools can still offer scholarships and institutional funding for students with different citizenship statuses.