This section of the tool will assist traditional students. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, a traditional college student is someone who is applying to a four-year university while still in high school (senior year), with the intention of attending that university full time. Link.

If you’re still in high school, it’s a good idea to start planning early for your postsecondary education. By the time you’re a sophomore, you should have an idea of what universities you want to attend. In some cases, such as with popular and prestigious universities, you should also know what you want to major in since some universities that have impacted majors will severely restrict admission for the most sought after ones. Otherwise, it’s okay if you’re not completely sure what it is exactly that you want to major in as long as you have some kind of general idea. Think of it more broadly, like knowing you want to major in the Arts/Humanities, but you’re still not sure if you want to focus on English or Philosophy, for example. You will however need to chose a major when it comes time to submit the actual application. So if you haven’t already done so, you should go see your guidance counselor at your high school to help figure out what to major in, and what schools would be the best choices for that major and your ultimate career goals.

Traditional students have two primary options to complete their postsecondary education: applying to a four-year university directly; or transferring to a four-year university from a community college.

Transferring from a community college is a great way to get to the four-year of your dreams, especially if you aren’t exactly the star student of your high school at the moment, or if you are concerned about the overall costs of completing your postsecondary education. To learn more about becoming a transfer student after you graduate high school, click here.

To learn about the traditional route of applying to a four-year university during your senior year of high school, click here.