January to February is the most common time to apply to a college or university. Some students apply even earlier in the year.   

Around 61.8% of high school graduates enroll in college. To do so, every student that goes to a type of college needs to apply first. 

The application process varies across schools but is usually structurally the same. However, going to a major college or university is not the only option after high school. Lizzy Martin is one of the counselors at CKHS and is an option to talk to about after high school options. 

“I think more than ever before it’s good to just give yourself grace and whatever is going to be best for you to let that happen,” said Martin. 

How can I decide what college will fit me best?

Not all colleges are the same. There are four-year universities, community colleges, public and private schools, and in-state and out-of-state colleges. The first step to applying is to figure out what kind of school you want to go to. 

“I think the idea is to get you into some different types of classes and see what you’re really interested in,” said Martin. 

The first school you go to does not even have to be the final four-year school you end at. Many students go to a community college first and then transfer to a four-year college. 

“A lot of students for financial reasons might start at a community college because you’re getting pretty much similar classes at either location, you’re taking general university requirements during those two years [either way],” said Martin. 

If you are completely lost on what you want to go to college for, there are resources at CKHS to help you out. Tyler Hunt is the Career Coordinator. His office is in the Career Center if you need to schedule an appointment to talk about future goals and job opportunities. 

“[First] identify what career that you’re looking at that you really want to do and then let’s go do some research to figure out what it is you need to do to work towards that and break it down into smaller steps,” said Hunt. 

Take it one step at a time to figure out where you want to go to school but also know that whatever you choose is not completely final, you can change your plans. 

What if I can’t afford college?

Financial issues can be a huge deterrent to a student applying to college. In fact, 75% of Americans think that people do not go to college because they cannot afford it. But there are many places to receive scholarships to help pay for college. 

“We have a few great websites that I highly recommend to students. And one of them is Washboard. It is scholarships that are in Washington State,” said Counseling Technician Stacy Mohs. 

There are many Washington State specific scholarship opportunities that are in your graduating class Google Classroom. But reaching out to counselors and asking questions is another great option. 

“Right now we have the Washington State Opportunity Scholarship that is available and that is for students that are specifically going to school in Washington State and will be studying a STEM career or something,” said Mohs. 

Even if the college you want to go to is out of state, which is usually more expensive, there are ways to lower the cost of attending. 

“One thing to mention would be like the WUI, which is the Washington Undergraduate Exchange, where you can go to out-of-state schools but pay in-state tuition,” said Martin. “You have to apply for it and then some schools will require that you pursue a certain major.” 

Most schools have numerous ways to make paying for college possible for high school students. 

“I highly encourage students to look at the school that they have chosen to go to and their financial aid page,” said Mohs. 

Okay, I found a college, now what? 

Once a college, or a few, are selected you need to actually apply to the school. Schools have online application forms to fill out on their school websites. 

“The components of a college application and the process is to write a personal statement, gather a transcript, and a letter of recommendation,” said Martin. 

Not all schools have the same application process. Counselors will remind you to pay attention to the instructions.  

“So if the college doesn’t require a letter of recommendation, don’t send it,” said Martin. “If a college doesn’t require a transcript, don’t send it because they do pay attention to students following directions.”

Contacting a counselor is a way students can receive their transcript. A transcript is a record of the student’s course history and is needed to apply to a university.  

“We [CKHS] use a service called Parchment and it is like an electronic way to securely send your transcript anywhere so you can order one for yourself,” said Martin. 

There are other ways to acquire a transcript; another way is through “Common App,” which is an app or website that students use to apply to their desired college. 

“If you’re applying to a school through Common App, the counselor uploads it through Common App, so you don’t need to order on,” said Martin. 

I don’t think college is for me, what are my other options?

As mentioned above, not every student that graduates high school goes to college. Some choose alternate ways to enter their desired workforce.

“Some of the other options that I look at with students would be going directly into the workforce or into an internship,” said Hunt. “So if they’re not really sure what they want to do, then at this point, I think, looking at what their interests are and then what they’re really good at, like what are their strengths?” 

Martin makes it clear that not all students necessarily will thrive in a college environment but she believes that that is alright.  

“A four-year degree is not the end all be all,” said Martin. “And I think it’s a disservice to students to force people into that path if it’s not theirs.”

Checking in with your counselor or the Career Coordinator is a way to finalize a solid after high school plan even if that plan is not college. 

“There’s lots of options out there,” Hunt said. “There’s always the military, there’s right to work, there’s on-the-job training, there’s apprenticeship programs, there’s lots of options.” 

When it comes to her students Martin thinks that college does not have to be the end goal for everyone, and does not have to be extremely stressful. 

“It seems like there’s a lot of pressure,” said Martin. “Societally, and from the school to have it all figured out… There’s extra pressure put on students, but the most important thing is to breathe and [know that] there’s a different path for everybody.”