The college application season is finally over for the seniors of class of 2017. They have made their own decisions in listing their schools, writing essays, submitting their test scores, and stressing out on behalf of getting accepted or declined. As the students start to seriously consider academic future and majors, they are advised to tour the schools during their junior year, and apply during their senior years. The counselors at Lambert High School recommend all students to list their schools in three categories: reach schools, target schools, and safety schools.

There are so many possible schools that each and every student are available to attend later. Students have different choices when it comes to the next big chapter in their life as a legal young adult. They should start to consider the locations and majors to determine their goals in reaching further towards their desired school.

They are to also consider the amount of financial aid available to equally weigh among the schools. In-state public schools provide much wider range of financial aids for the students who are the residents of the corresponding state. Public colleges in Georgia, for instance, are able to offer the basic financial aids of HOPE, Zell Miller and FAFSA. These opportunities are to financially support the students to successfully finish out their educations in college. The more academically successful the students, the more favorable chances in receiving scholarships.

One important factor to also be aware of is that some in-state public schools may be in more favor towards providing spots for their residential students. Due to the taxes correlating with their own residents, the universities and colleges of the Golden State, California, are more favorable in bringing in the California residents supported with federal fundings by the government.

However, this unscientifically proven ideology may vary from school to school. Some may consider out-of-state students as their priorities due to their high tuitions brought to the campus. Some may consider the ratio that has been set to equal out the balance between their locations, races and ethnicities. It all varies from school to school and no one has any definite answer to provide. This is not to limit the students from applying but to recognize all circumstances. The best advice that the counselors and teachers are able to provide is to call each individual school to get more specific informations.

“About 63% of Lambert students of the last 2 years chose to stay in-state,” explained Lambert counselor, Mr. Neighbour. He says that there are so many amazing schools, both public and private in state, that all students have plenty of options to choose from without having the pressure to look into out-of-state schools. Also, the most crucial benefit that the in-state schools are able to offer are financial aids that can potentially shift the student’s decision. In-state students are able to receive Hope and Zell Miller along with other scholarships from the corresponding colleges and depending on the families’ situations. Because some students are to be responsible for their own education as an young adult, these financial aids are fully taken advantages of for those enrolled in Lambert High School.

Emma Wynn, an early graduating junior, decided to take full advantage of the financial aid that she is able to receive for the upcoming fall semester in college. “I made my school decision depending on the following factors: cost, scholarship opportunities, size, teacher to student ratio, and comfort,” explains Wynn as she shares her experience in cautiously considering all factors to find her own “perfect” college. During the process, she had limited her choices to those around town to receive scholarships and to stay closer to home with familiar faces around. “I also had to consider whether or not the school would give me the guidance that I would need to achieve my goal. I want to be able to travel abroad, come home every once in awhile, participate in my interest (fencing), safety assures for parents, and feel like I belong there,” says Wynn. She toured many different schools to fully understand the academic and social atmosphere each places provided with before even creating a list. She first had to acknowledge her first priorities to be able to look further into such fields of her interest and her borders. Emma Wynn eventually applied to three schools in total, all in-state schools, and chose to attend University of North Georgia this upcoming fall semester. She will be graduating at the end of May as part of Class of 2017.

Students at Lambert are encouraged to start considering their career fields at the end of sophomore years to all the way to the end of their junior years. They are to study themselves of their interests and talents to pick the best options provided from all schools around the nation and even around the whole world.

Taylor Couch, Lambert junior, has seriously taken in consideration of college applications for next year. She has been visiting different schools in different areas to observe thoroughly around the campus. “I’m going to apply to four schools, at least for now. Two of them are in-state,” says Couch. She has set her own goals to fulfill during the four years given to be able to attend her dream school and further expand her goals in that particular school. “My top choices in school are out-of-state,” added Couch. She takes considerations in financial aid, the education, and the feel that can be observed from each individual school. She has already obtained such definite feelings from two out-of-state schools that remain on the top of the list. She is currently finishing out her junior year strong and fit for acceptances from those specific schools.

Like many other high school students say, first semester of senior year may be the most stressful times among the four years. However, this may be the most important yet crucial experience to move out of their secured nests, fully furnished by their parents and guardians. As each individual senior receives his or her diploma during graduation, he or she is to take full responsibility of herself or himself away from home, from high school, from the advantage of being a minor. Wherever they end up in the fall, they will be featured as an former outstanding student of Lambert High School.

Once a longhorn, always a longhorn!

Lists of popular colleges to consider:

*Data received strictly off of Lambert High School students

In-state schools:

University of Georgia 

Georgia Southern University 

University of North Georgia

Georgia college state university

Kennesaw State University

Out-of-state schools:

University of Alabama

Auburn University

Vanderbilt University

University of South Carolina

Florida State University