Especially in an economy which we suffer in today, paying for a college education could look like you are breaking the piggy bank. As I look forward to my freshmen year of college right now, every penny counts in helping me pay for my tuition. These tips that I have learned have saved me thousands, and I hope these easy tips can help you just as much as they have helped me.

Tip 1:

There are more important things in high school than who wins homecoming queen and how many friends you have. Grades in high school are the most important thing that can help you get into a great college. You don’t necessarily need straight A’s, but as long as you keep focused you can do whatever you want as a future job. Stick to your passion and you will go far. If you are struggling in school, there are almost guaranteed after school tutoring sessions with teachers, and don’t ever hesitate to ask for help. I graduated high school with 4.10 GPA but I didn’t do that on my own. I asked my calculus teacher for help whenever I needed it, and found websites online that would help me solve problems I couldn’t understand in my homework. I would outline every chapter in biology to help me when it came time to study and reviewed every night for anatomy. As long as you put forth the effort, nothing is stopping you from achieving good grades.

Tip 2:

The most important exam in high school is the ACT. Many people get stressed over it but stay relaxed and it is a lot easier than people make it out to be. If you don’t feel confident about standardized tests, you can retake it as many times as needed to achieve a great score. I suggest that you take it earlier than the national testing date so you have plenty of time to retake it and improve your score without feeling rushed or pressured to do so in an allotted time before you have to start applying for college. ACT books are available at local bookstores and at libraries to help you study, and sample questions are available on the ACT website, which helped me tremendously. It even solves out the problems for you to help you understand why certain answers are incorrect and others are the right choice. The higher you score on the ACT, the better college you can get into. Also, most scholarships in college are based on grades, your ACT score, and extracurricular activities (sports, clubs, volunteering, etc.) These scholarships can pay anywhere from half your tuition to a full ride scholarship.