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College Planning Guide

Beginning to think of college is often overwhelming for parents and students alike. There is so much information available and deciding what information is relevant to you is difficult. We hope that this site will help you break down all of the information into manageable units. So first things first.

Preparing for College

Rigorous Course Selection:

Challenge yourself, take courses that may not be easy for you.

Grades Matter: 

Earn a good GPA early, it is easier to maintain a good GPA than to resurrect a poor one.

Assess your Skills, Values & Abilities

Your ideas about who you are and what you want to become influence your career plans and decisions. The role of the interest inventories is to collect information about you and organize it in a way to assist your career exploration and planning.

ACT-DISCOVER will allow you to see what careers match your interests, abilities and values an then show you which majors would put you on a good path towards your chosen career field.  Frontier Academy students simply must stop by the guidance office for a username and password.

The Keirsey Temperament Sorter II®  is a powerful 70-question personality instrument that helps individuals discover their personality type. The KTS™-II is based on Dr. David Keirsey's Temperament theory and has helped over 30 million people worldwide to gain insight into themselves and the people around them. This insight is useful when selecting a career or choosing a work environment.

Planning Calendars:

Freshman     Sophomores     Juniors     Seniors

Selecting a College

College Fairs:  

10/17/2007: Christian College Fair of Colorado
               Resurrection Christian School 6:30- 8:30 pm

10/25/07; Colorado Council on High School/College Relations                 Greeley Central 1:15 - 2:45 pm

10/29/07; Loveland 6:00 - 7:30 pm

College Fair Checklist

Identify your Criteria:

Types of Schools:   

Things to Consider:

Search for Schools:

Organizational Tools:                                 College View:

US Universities by State:                           College Answer 

US Community Colleges by State:             Princeton Review

College in Colorado                                    Peterson's

Christian College Mentor                            College Net

Campus Tours                                            CollegeBoard

Western Undergraduate Exchange            Catholic Colleges

College Rankings

        Kiplinger's Best Values           US NEWS: America's Best Colleges

            Public Universities                 National Universities              
            Private Universities                Liberal Arts Colleges

    Applying to College

How Many Applications?

Your college list should include approximately five to seven colleges, but there isn't one "magic" number.
  • One or two colleges where you feel you'll most likely get in -- say, a 90-100 percent chance. These are usually called "safeties" or "back ups."
    • Two to four colleges that are overall good matches -- say, a 75 percent chance of getting in. These are colleges that fit academically and socially.
    • One or two "reach" colleges -- say, a 25 percent or less chance of getting in. These are colleges that present an admission challenge.
The key is to to plan your list now, so you're not making last-minute decisions.  (Collegeboard)

College in Colorado?

If you are considering attending college in Colorado, you must meet the Colorado Commission on Higher Education's Admission Standards. These standards are based on your cumulative GPA and your ACT score.  Each institution has its own required index score and that can be viewed on the following Index Chart.

Getting the Applications

Many Colleges use the Common Application

Conduct an Online Application Search

Visit the school's website.

Completing the Application

Requesting Transcripts
Sending Test Scores
Letters of Recommendation
Essays

Athletics in College?

Freshman Eligibility

Many college sports are regulated by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The NCAA has three membership divisions: Division I, Division II, and Division III. Institutions are members of one or another division according to the size and scope of their athletic programs and whether they provide athletic scholarships.

If you are planning to enroll in college as a freshman and you wish to participate in Division I or Division II sports, you must be certified by the NCAA Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. The Clearinghouse will analyze your academic information and determine if you meet the NCAA's initial eligibility requirements.

If you want to participate in Division I or Division II sports, you should start the certification process early, usually by the end of your junior year.

NCAA Clearinghouse

NAIA ~ Guide to the Student Athlete

NJCAA ~ National Junior College Association Athletics