College & Career Publishing. Permission to use with usworkworld.com subscription.	College Advice from Students (Page 1 of 3)	
College Advice From Students
Every year on the College Hopes and Worries Survey, The Princeton Review includes 
optional questions at the end that asks respondents what advice they hav
e for next 
year's applicants and parents of applicants. Here, in their own words, a
re the
suggestions and tips.  Enjoy!  (Princeton Review website: princetonrevi
ew.com)
On the College Application Process
• 	Start early. As a matter of fact, start now. - Diego, Moreno Valley, CA	
• 	Two Words: Start Early! Deadlines creep up quicker than you may anticipate. 
In addition, there are little things that you need to do to fulfill the application requirements. By start	-	
ing early you can reduce stress levels and assure that you have enough time to get everything finished 
without rushing. – A.S., Naperville, IL	
• 	Don't start as early as I did (sophomore year), it just causes unneces
sary stress and once you start, it is 
hard to just stop. – Bailey	
• 	Research, research, research. The better educated you are about the colleges, the better chance you wi
ll 
get the education you really want. – Elizabeth, Cohasset, MA	
• 	Apply early and research early. Visit college campuses in your sophomore year. Take an online SAT or 
ACT course to improve your score. I did! - Edward, Lakeland, FL	
• 	Keep your grades up, be a part of lots of activities, and do well on you
r standardized tests. The earlier 
you apply, the better, and don't stress too much because it'll eat away at you. - Lindsey, Oviedo, FL	
• 	Be excited to write your college application essays. They WILL definitely be tough, but in the end, 
you'll look back at the experience and smile because you learn so much about yourself. It's actually 
quite a wonderful experience, but only if you're willing to make it a wonderful experience. - Evelyn, 
Arcadia, CA	
• 	Make sure that you apply or consider all the schools that you could poss
ibly conceive yourself going to. 
Nothing is worse than "February syndrome" in which you realize you didn'
t apply to a school that you 
could see yourself attending. - Kelly, IL	
• 	Do not let the application process get in the way of your current academ
ic responsibilities. This may be         
counterproductive. - Vanessa, Chula Vista, CA	
On Stress
• 	Don't freak out. College is not the end of your life. Everything will be
 OK. – Michael, MA	
• 	College is about finding your happiness, not your parents' happiness or what would look good on your 
bumper. Be open-minded. – Jenny, CA	
• 	Don't get frustrated with applications. Just think of how good you'll feel in the fall 
walking the halls of your chosen college. – Tyonna, MD	
• 	Calm down. It's only four years! – R.H., Springfield, MO	
• 	Have fun with it! If you enjoy the process along the way, outcome will hopefully be 
more beneficial. - Abbey, LaGrange IL	
• 	Do not get too nervous. It's not always about getting into the most know
n school. - 
Susan, McMurray, PA	
• 	Relax. Everything will work out. - Morgan, Laguna Hills, CA	
• 	Try not to get too stressed out even if your parents are. - Will, Norwalk CT

College Advice from Students (Page 2 of 3)	
On College Admission Tests (if required by your college)
• 	Do everything possible to get ACT/SAT score as high as possible - most 
important to getting $$ - Sarah, New Braunfels TX	
• 	Take the SAT or ACT early in your junior year so you have plenty 
of time to take a class, find a tutor, or study like crazy on your own.            
– J. H., Pickerington, OH	
• 	Commit to your classes because your GPA and SAT and ACT scores 
will really determine what school you will go to. – E., Houston TX	
• 	Get plenty of sleep before testing. - Richard, Waco TX	
• 	Get an SAT tutor to get the best possible score. - M., Santa Ana CA	
• 	Stagger your tests--you don't want take APs at the same time as the SAT! - Allyson, Scarsdale, NY	
• 	Take the time to prepare for tests like the SAT and ACT. And even if you scored high enough, take it 
again to see how you do because the higher the score, the more likely yo
u'll get a scholarship for the 
college you're applying to. – G., Mission TX	
• 	Finish taking standardized tests by junior year so in fall of senior yea
r, you can focus on applications – 
A., Lake Ronkonkoma, NY	
On College Visits
• 	Visit! The feel of a school is entirely important. I visited what I thought wou
ld be my top school and 
campus didn't feel like home. On the other hand, I visited a college I d
idn't think I would be interested 
in and it just felt right. - Kiley, Aurora, IL	
• 	Visit as many colleges as possible and talk to students in college asking
 what you like the most and 
least about their college. - Patricia, Yonkers, NY	
• 	A college may look great on paper, but you HAVE TO go visit it. You need to rely on your gut reaction 
to the college itself, people on campus, and surrounding community. Do you see "people like you" on 
campus - to be friends with? Does it feel comfortable? It will be your h
ome for 4 years. - Andrea	
• 	Visit every college you can! Get interviews, tours, info sessions, overnights, and attend classes. While               
information sites and books from companies like the Princeton Review giv
e great information on which 
schools you should put on "The List," making the final decision can be lar gely intuition-based. This 
sense of intuition cannot be gained without experiencing the campus for yourself. – Bethany , NY	
• 	Visit more schools than you would like to apply to. The visit (even if during the summer) is the most 
important part. It gave me an idea of what it would be like to live ther
e. I saw the location, toured 
the buildings and met administrators. I ended up choosing a college I ne
ver     
imagined I would like over ones I had dreamed about for years. – Theresa, 
Rochester, MO	
• 	Visit schools and spend an entire day/overnight to get a feel for what wi
ll be 
offered to us to help us get ready for the world. Sitting in on classes th
at would 
be part of my major would also give me an indication of what is expected of 
me. - Larissa, Hawthorne Woods IL	
On Money Matters
• 	Getting into college is the easy part. The hard part is paying for it.  Tabitha, AZ	
• 	Apply to all colleges you want to go to, even if you cannot afford. You may be surprised how much   
colleges are wiling to help you out. - Sarah, Fairlawn, NJ

College Advice from Students (Page 3 of 3)	
• 	Money is a huge factor.  It is important that you have a "budget" for you and 
your parents' peace of mind. - K., Marlboro, NY	
• 	SCHOLARSHIPS! Make sure you apply for as many scholarships as possible. 
– 
E., Fairfax, VA	
• 	More expensive colleges are not always better colleges. - Daniel, Ocala, FL	
On Rejection
• 	When you think you didn't get into the school you wanted, you might be g
etting into the school you 
needed.  – Amy	
• 	You are smart. Don't let a rejection letter make you feel depressed. – A.P., Knoxville, TN	
• 	You may not be able to get into the top 25 schools in the country, but you will find the one that wants 
you as much as you want it. – H., Barrington, IL	
• 	There is a place for everyone. Relax and think of it as a journey -- not a race to be won, but 
a home to be found. - Megan, Chapel Hill, NC	
• 	It's not as bad as everyone makes it out to be. Don't worry about where 
you're going. Worry 
more about the mindset you go to school with. – Samuel, Wasilla AK	
• 	Try not to stress too much about the possibility of not being accepted into your first choice 
college, because you'll go half mad if you do so. - Sarah, IN	
• 	Breathe, and believe that everything happens for a reason. - M.K., WA	
On Choosing Which College to Attend
• 	College is a match, not a prize! – K., Minneapolis	
• 	Don't worry about what other people think is the best college for you. The only opinion that matters is 
your own because you will be spending four years of your life there. –
 Stephanie,     Windham, OH	
• 	Don't focus on your first choice. Widen your eyes to keep your options open. – Christina, Pullman, WA	
• 	Apply to different types of schools; big, small, public, private — you never know
 what you may end up 
liking! - Dana, Minnetonka, MN	
QUICK CHECK:
1. On the College Application Process:  List 5 tips 	
that you think are valuable.	
2. On Stress:  List 3 tips that you think are valuable.
3. On Standardized Admission Tests:  List 5 tips 	
that you think are valuable.	
4. On College Visits:  List 3 tips you think are 
 valuable.
5. On Money Matters:  According to Tabitha:  
 a) What is the easy part?  b) What is the hard 	
part?  c) Do you agree or disagree?  d) Give a 
reason for your answer.	
6. Why is it important that you have a budget?	
7. What does Daniel think about more expensive 	
colleges?	
8. On Rejection:  List 3 tips that you think is good 	
advice for you to follow.	
9. On Choosing Which College to Attend:  List 5 	
tips that you think is good advice for you to 	
 follow.
10. Using your opinion, write down one tip you 	
would give a younger student on: a) College 
Application Process; b) Stress; c) 	College 	
Admission Tests; d) College Visits; e) Money 
Matters; f) Rejection; g) Choosing Which 	
 College  to Attend.