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The first step in planning for college
is planning for high school.
Be ready. Choose the right courses and earn the right grades.
Planning for college starts in high school.You can get a head start on college by taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses or concurrent enrollment at a local college.
There are certain courses that you must take in high school in order to be prepared for college. A minimum number of classes in English, mathematics, science and history are required for entry to most colleges. In addition, there are minimum
grade requirements. Most Oklahoma colleges require at least a 3.0 grade point average. For more information on required courses and grades, check out the Student Center on the Oklahoma Higher Education Web site.
Careers
By the time you are in middle school, you should be starting to think about what you want to do as an adult. Look to the activities you enjoy doing and things you are good at for ideas. If you like to scrapbook, you might enjoy graphic design. If you are good at computer games, you might be good at computer programming or technical support. If you are the "fix-it" person in your home, engineering might be your calling. Try to choose your elective classes and extra curricular activities to develop those skills.
Grades 8 - 10
To help guide your preparation for college, all Oklahoma students will take the EXPLORE test in the eighth grade and the PLAN test in the 10th grade. These tests will help identify your skills and abilities that can guide your career choice and will help you prepare for college.
Grades 11 - 12
When you are a junior or senior in high school, you should take the ACT or SAT test. These tests evaluate your academic skills and abilities and shed even more light on what type of career might interest you. But more importantly, these tests are used by universities and colleges to determine your readiness for college.
If your score is not as high as you would like it, you can usually take the test again. The second time you take the test, you will most likely be more relaxed and can concentrate better because you know what to expect.
For more information about careers, check out the Career Center at www.okcollegestart.org.
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