OKcollegestart.org - Click - Compare - Choose

College — Your Plan. Your Timeline.

Are you thinking about going to college? Whether the decision has already been made or is still years away, please go through this planner made especially to help you prepare for college. Please note that although you can complete most of the necessary tasks in your junior or senior year of high school, you should start planning as early as the fifth grade. This will  improve your chances of getting into your college of choice and will also make it much easier to apply when the time comes.

Grade-by-Grade Guidelines

Follow these links to learn what you should be doing from grades 5 through 12 in order to best prepare for college:

Tips for Success

Below are some great tips that can help you prepare for college. Each tip contains links to sections of OKcollegestart.org that contain tools and information to help you select colleges, apply online and fund your college education.

1. Prepare for college early.

   Early preparation will help you get into your college of choice. We recommend that you start as early as the 5th grade and start using the High School Planner in your freshman year of high school. It's not too late, however, if you are in your junior or senior year of high school. You can still choose, apply and be accepted to the college best for you if you plan and prepare carefully!

   Regardless of your current grade, there are some general guidelines to follow:

   • Pay attention to dates and deadlines.
     
     
   • Your grades are important, but remember, the difficulty of your coursework can also be a significant factor in a college's decision to admit you. In general, most colleges prefer students who challenge themselves with tougher courses like honors or Advanced Placement (AP) courses. So, even if you earn only average grades, you will stand out over students who opt for easier courses that boost their GPAs.
     
     
   • Computer science courses or courses that require students to use computers in research and project preparation can also help aid your future college performance.
     
     
   • College admission officers will pay the closest attention to your GPA, class rank, AP and other honors-level courses, and scores on standardized tests.
     
     
   • Participation in extracurricular activities is a good idea in high school. Activities that require time and effort outside the classroom, such as speech and debate, band, communications and drama, indicate that you are a well-rounded individual with many interests. Participating in extracurricular activities shows a willingness to cooperate with others and an ability to put forth the effort needed to succeed.
     
     
   • Volunteering at various organizations within the community can also be beneficial. It gives you a chance to gain experience in and observe various work environments while showing others your ability to reach out to those in need.
   
   
2. Plan a career.

   Choosing a career can be difficult, but by figuring out what you most enjoy and what skills and abilities you have, you'll get a better idea of the careers in which you are most interested and their corresponding majors. Having this information in mind will help you decide which colleges are right for you.

   The Career Center is a great place to start.

3. Find the college that's right for you.

   OKcollegestart.org features several tools to help you narrow down your college choices:
   
   

   • Search by name - This is a general listing of all colleges and universities in Oklahoma.
     
     
   • Campus Tours - Get the facts on the colleges and universities in Oklahoma.
     
     
   • Undergraduate Student-Campus Matching Assistant - Use this tool to search for undergraduate campuses that match any combination of your college education requirements.
     
     
   • Comparative View - Undergraduate Campuses - Compare colleges and universities and sort them by a variety of factors.
     
     
   • Graduate Student-Campus Matching Assistant - Search for graduate schools that match any combination of your requirements.
     
   • Comparative View - Graduate Campuses - See a side-by-side comparison of graduate schools and sort them by a variety of factors.
     
     
   • Distance Search - Find out which Oklahoma colleges and universities are near and far based on your zip code.
   
   
4. Learn about and visit the colleges of your choice.

   Once you have narrowed your selection, explore your  top choices through our online Campus Tours. If possible, you should also visit the campuses in person.

5. Research your payment options.

   You should look into scholarships, student loans and other financial aid options before you apply to a college or university. There are many factors that can affect college expenses, including the type of college or university, the number of courses you take and your personal lifestyle. Because of the way financial aid is packaged (expected family contribution stays constant, no matter how much a school costs), it may not cost you any more to attend an expensive college then a lower-priced school. Learn all you can about financial aid and college costs so that you can pick the best college and the best financial aid package for you. The Financial Aid section has all the information you will need.

6. Apply online.

   Many colleges and universities in Oklahoma have online applications available directly through this site. If you've already created an account and started your online portfolio, the great news is that you can transfer information you've already entered directly into these online applications! This gives you a head start and streamlines the application process.