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Learning the ABCs of Admissions
By Feona Sharhran Huff
Additional reporting by Paul D. Rosevear
July/August 2003

The CollegeBound Network NewsClick -- With each time your mom asks you to vacuum or your dad tells you to mow the lawn this summer, you'll be thankful that college is right around the corner! Although you're eagerly awaiting the freedom and fun of the university social scene, you'll still have to be responsible, especially when it comes to dotting every "I" and crossing every "T" in preparation for fall semester registration, says Keeon Gregory, founder of College Navigators Consulting, a college planning company in Philadelphia, PA. Here, he offers three areas you'll want to consider before school officially opens for learning.

1. Confirm Your Class Status.
Registration can be a pesky affair, and you'd be surprised how often students have trouble getting into classes they want. Don't assume everything is A-okay until you receive your class schedule. Professors can be picky, unfulfilled prerequisite courses can come back to haunt you, and unpaid financial obligations can contribute to registration delays. Although there are exceptions to every rule, says Gregory, you should meet with a dean or registration officer to confirm your class schedule before assuming it's good to go.

2. Know What You're Up Against.
An instructor's teaching style can make or break a college course -- an introductory linguistics class could be a cinch with one prof, and a nightmare with another. Knowing what to expect is half the battle, Gregory affirms. So how do you get a head's up? Through the grapevine -- chat it up with upperclassmen and friends who have experienced courses you're interested in. Students love to gab about which profs they loved or disliked, so why not put that network to use?

3. "The Check Is in the Mail" -- Not Good Enough.
Be sure to pay a visit to your campus housing office while you're in the midst of scheduling. Why? You could create your schedule, only to later find out that because of a late or missing room and board payment, you may not have a place to lay your head. Determine whether your scholarship, loan, or out-of-pocket money was received by campus housing, advises Gregory. Just because you sent it, doesn't mean they received it, so follow-up is key!

Unfortunately, college admisions is not quite as easy as learning your ABCs. But, by adhering to these expert tips, it can come close!