When do you guys think the right time is to start looking into different colleges, majors and planning for your future? What time do you guys say and why? I feel like it would be an interesting discussion and would like to hear from you guys.
Starting Jr year HS, because that is prob the first time you are really thinking more seriously. You can look a bit earlier just to be informed but you will be growing, maturing and changing your mind. You still might up to college. Even my dd didn’t decide what to major in until sophomore year college.
We started in the summer after my D finished sophomore year. We began with a big list, whittled down through research. We started visits in summer that year, but I don’t recommend it, as you really should visit a college when students are there. We completed virtually all visits by April of Junior year, and I will do that with my son, as they will be busy enough come senior year. You should learn as much as possible about your prospective choices well before senior year. You will change your mind a lot, that is okay. You will be disappointed with some colleges and unexpectedly surprised with others. Your list will change. You will add colleges to it, and drop others.
The MOST important thing you can do is find colleges that you can get into. You need at least two in which your stats are well above the middle 50% and ideally above 75%, 2-3 in which your stats are on par, but at the higher end of the middle 50% and above, and two, three or more reach schools, in which your stats should be in the middle %50, preferably not too low. And of course, there are a million variables. Chiefly, do you have a hook? If so, you can dare to dream a little more. This is not definitive though. Doing all the applications can be a VERY stressful and time consuming, so if you settle on several schools and know where you stand, you can fill out fewer apps. The more reaches, the more apps you will do. And remember, even great stats are no guarantee of anything these days. Have a look in this forum to see what colleges want to see apart from stats, becasue that is super important to a lot of colleges. Good luck!
@Lindagaf Great advice! By hook do you mean what makes you stand out? Because I am a Hispanic male harpist which male harpists are very rare and being a Hispanic male harpist is even rarer than just being a male harpist. If that’s what your talking about by hook do you think I have a good one?
Do you live near any colleges? Some students have no idea if they want a big or small school, University or LAC, college town, rural, urban or suburban. So its often helpful to visit campuses of schools nearby, even if you think you have no interest in attending them, just to see what you might feel about size/location, etc.
@jym626 I do live near one or two but I’m interested in colleges in big cities like LA, NY, Chicago, Honolulu (from there currently in Washington State) so I don’t have a specific place just anywhere in the US. I think an instate one would be nice but anywhere pretty much.
You can start considering in your freshman year - do you want to go to college or go directly into the workforce? It’s always good to start considering your interests. Do you really like a class, and why is that? Maybe the teacher is great, or maybe you really like biology. I picked one of my majors my sophomore year of hs, and the other my senior year of hs. Until your junior year, you should take the college contemplation easy, but even just driving through a campus on the way to somewhere else can be helpful. You should expect that the kind of school you like at the beginning of the process may not be what you end up picking.
@elliebham Thanks that was helpful, what do you think about my hook^^^^
@prettygreat , ha! Love it! A Hispanic male harpist? I say welcome to Harvard…provided you have the grades and test scores:-)
Joking, but whoa, what a hook! You will land a big fish with that. Best of luck to you.
I don’t know much about music, so I suspect for the harping to be relevant you’d have to be “recruited” or otherwise needed in the school band? I think Oberlin is known for its conservatory of music. In most cases, I suspect the URM “hook” will be more relevant. I’m not really the person to ask about hooks or admissions chances, so take it with a grain of salt! 
@Lindagaf Awesome! I’ve been told it’s pretty good so I was just wondering thanks. By the time I’m ready for college I will have done harp for 9 years.
@elliebham Thanks!
@prettygreat, no idea what grade you are in, but do be careful of starting things too early. You change and grow so much in high school. My S is in 9th grade; because of his sister, a senior, he is fully aware of the college process, but I haven’t begun anything for him (other than casually thinking of potential colleges) and I won’t until he is at least half way through tenth grade. He will change too much in all but his most essential characteristics. I don’t want to waste anyone’s time. You should focus on good grades and solid extracurriculars (ECs) if you are a freshman or sophomore. If yiu are really ambitious you can, if you like, take an ACT or SAT. I don’t recommend that though if you are clueless about it. Ideally, you want a good score first time you take it.
@Lindagaf Thanks, yeah I put my GPA before anything like hanging out and extracurriculars as my average gpa is a 3.4 to 3.6 my older sister looks at colleges and I normally just look with her. I did do martial arts but had to stop as my grade dropped to a 3.1 but got it back up to a 3.4 I do amazing on assignments but not on tests. So probably won’t get into Stanford but hopefully a good school especially with my race, hook, volunteer work and partially my GPA.
What year are you? Its best to take a mock standardized test before jumping in to take an official one, especially if there is any chance you will be considering some of the elite schools that will require you to send all your scores (not score select). And with the SAT changing in March and the standardization sample not set yet, many are taking a “wait and see” with the first round or 2 of the SAT, or sticking with the ACT.
I gather from your other posts, the music is not your planned major, but rather an interest. So you might be looking at schools with orchestras, but not necessarily pursuing a conservatory or other music program.
@jym626 I’m a freshman. Yes not planning to be a music major. So I still have a while till tests but am going to start preparing soon. My school does not have a music class we only have the core classes and Spanish and some of the other core high school classes. So I am taught by a private instructor.
My son and I started visiting colleges in the fall of his junior year. Look at all sizes, public and private to determine what you like best. Some schools offer music scholarships to students that aren’t music majors, so being a harpist may actual benefit you. I also recommend starting to take the SAT or ACT in your junior year. That will give you time to retake if necessary. Also, if you apply for merit scholarships , many schools have deadlines early in your senior year and you will have to have good scores available to qualify for merit.
carolinamom2boys is right. I know of a tuba player who was offered a small scholarship to lure him to the school he ultimately attended, because their band needed a tuba player. He ultimately transferred to a music school, though.
Also agree with carolinamom2boys that junior year is a good year for testing. Many of those who waited til senior year this year had challenges with the fall SAT and ACT delayed release of scores. Thats no fun.
And with the increasing # of test optional schools, who knows, by the time you are a junior, maybe there will be a huge # of test optional schools and the need for standardized testing will reduce. Not likely, but a possibility. Your ethnicity and music talent in a relatively rare instrument should be helpful for you.
@prettygreat , definitely take mock SAT and/or ACT before sitting for the real thing. One, you will see which test you prefer, and two, it has been shown that the more you practice taking the test, the better you will do come actual test time. Check with your guidance center, or local library. Our library offers free mock exams a few times a year. My poor son will be doing that next fall, but he will do a few practice tests at home during the summer. Be aware that your junior year will also be very busy. There is no harm taking an official ACT or SAT in Spring of your Sophomore year, BUT only if you feel ready for it. I plan on encouraging my son to do this, as I know that junior year can be very busy and stressful. It is a way to space things out. Again, don’t consider it if you don’t feel comfortable and prepared. I am sure you will do well in the future, you are already thinking about this and you are a freshman.
@jym626 @carolinamom2boys Thanks I definitely will start testing as a junior. Are people with a high household income able to get high scholarships? I’m very good at standardized tests so I think I’ll do pretty good but I definetry will study early.
@Lindagaf okay thanks. Say I do really well on my testing but only have about a 3.5 GPA does that cross of some of the top schools? Will my hook and diversity make up for it or will I have to settle for 3rd or 2nd tier schools?
Good test scores can work wonders, esp combined with your hook and decent grades. Maybe not enough wonders for Harvard, but you will end up somewhere really good ,if you can keep up your standards. Regarding tiers, I don’t buy into that really. A good school for you is one where your grades and test scores fit in with everyone,else, and of course, that you like the school. What good test scores can get you, that your grades can’t, is merit aid at schools that give it. I know a B-C student, but he had 34 ACT. Colleges are falling over themselves with scholarships for him. They aren’t Carnegie Mellon, et al., but they are good colleges.