You should consider preparing for college as soon as possible. The information listed below will help you prepare for your college experience. The sooner you can complete these tasks, the better your chances of admittance to the college of your choice.

Preparations for: 12th graders 11th graders 10th graders 9th graders 8th graders 7th graders 6th graders

Students

• Check with your high school counselor to make sure you are taking the college preparatory classes needed for CSU admission, including Algebra II or advanced math or English.
• Strive for A's and B's, which are especially important during your junior and senior years.
• Register in October for the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Assessment Test), a practice exam for the SAT I (Scholastic Assessment Test I), which is required for several national scholarships.
• Look into the Early Assessment Program (EAP). EAP is an academic preparation program to help high school students meet college readiness standards in English-language arts and mathematics before admission to a CSU campus. EAP offers 11th grade high school students the opportunity to “test- out” of taking the usual entrance exams required for college admission. Learn more...
• Take the PSAT and use the results to see where you are strong and where you need to improve to be ready for college.
• If taking AP (Advanced Placement) subjects, register to take the AP exams in the spring. Scoring well on the test(s) will give you college credit for these courses!
• Use CSU's Diagnostic Writing Service to have a university essay reader evaluate your writing skills.
• Start thinking about when to take college entrance exams: the SAT or the ACT (American College Testing). Register for the exam one month before the test date. If you take the exam in the spring or summer, you will get the results in time to see if you need to retake the test in the fall. Discuss this with your counselor.

Families and Student

• Attend college information programs and meet with CSU campus representatives when they visit your high school.
• Visit one or more of the CSU's 23 campuses. Contact the campus to schedule a tour and get information about academic programs, admission requirements, and financial aid. Bring your student transcripts or a list of courses completed since the 9th grade.
• Prepare for the SAT or ACT by reviewing test preparation books with sample questions. Attend a workshop on how to prepare for these entrance exams. Financial Aid may be available for some workshops or for the test fee; check with your counselor.

Contact the Office of University Outreach for additional information at (714) 278-2086 or outreach@fullerton.edu