1. What courses must I take to graduate and what additional classes do I need to get into college?

Find out the specific courses you’ll have to take in order to graduate. And at the same time, ask which classes you’d need to go on to college. It varies from state to state, but you’ll need additional classes if you want to go on to a state college or a university. In California, they call them the A through G requirements.

According to Rosanna Carosa, Guidance Counselor at James A. Garfield High School, “The A through G requirements (in high school) is the ones that will allow the students to be prepared for a four year university, Cal State’s, UC’s, and private schools.”

Tricia Bryan, Guidance Counselor at John Marshall High School, says “Really, the main difference between graduation requirements and college entrance requirements is that in the State of California you have to take an extra year of math, where you have to take Algebra 2, and that’s not a high school graduation requirement. Then you take the foreign language requirement.”

Be sure to check with your counselor as to which specific classes you’ll need to take in order to get in to the college of your choice.

2. How many credits do I need to graduate?

It’s a good idea to ask your counselor – early on – to explain how you earn credits and specifically how many you’ll need to earn per semester. Also, ask how many you’ll need to graduate.

“I always tell them, ‘you need 230 credits in order for you to graduate,’” says Carosa. “So, every semester, you should be receiving 30 credits. And, you know, we explain to them A, B, C, and even a D, is worth five credits. The F is worth zero. So, even if you add up all your credits you should be getting 30 credits.”

3. Which AP courses are available at this school?

Counselors suggest that you find out about any Advanced Placement classes that the school offers. “Advanced Placement is a College Board program,” says Bryan. “And the purpose of it is to expose high school students to the rigor of college level work.

They use college level material. It’s faster paced. It’s more intense and, of course, it gives them that extra point on their GPA. And, if they pass the test, they actually get credits that count towards college.”

Upon completion of the AP Course, students will take an exam given by the College Board. The tests are scored from 1-5. A score of 5 means you are ‘extremely qualified,’ a score of 4 means you are ‘well qualified,’ a score of 3 means you are ‘qualified,’ a 2 means you are ‘possibly qualified,’ and a score of 1 means there is ‘no recommendation.’

4. What are the SAT, PSAT and ACT tests?

Your counselor can also give you what you need to know about the three college placement tests: the P-S-A-T, the-S-A-T and the A-C-T.

“The PSAT is the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test. In layman terms, it’s the pre-SATs. It’s the test you take as a junior to give you an idea of what the SAT, which is the main college entrance exam, will be like,” explains Bryan. Carosa adds, “It’s important for the kids to understand the SAT is part of the college application process. And, that they should be taking it in order for them to be prepared to apply to different schools.”

“The ACT is also an alternative to the SAT Reasoning Test,” says Bryan, who also encourages students to take the ACT. “Colleges will accept both scores from either test, SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT. They will accept the higher score, normally, from either test.”

5. Is there a high school exit exam? Where can I take it?

The counselor is the best person to ask about required high school exit exams. About half of the states require some form of an exam that students must pass if they want to graduate from high school. In many of those states, students can have as many as five opportunities to pass the test – starting in the 10th grade.

Bryan tells students, “These are usually curriculum based tests, so it’s based on students’ knowledge they should already have, but they are definitely designed somewhat different from the SAT, so although they are a good preview for what the SAT is like, students can begin their test prep essentially by taking those tests seriously and do well on them.”

6. When should I start planning for college?

Don’t forget to ask your counselor when you should start planning for college. They can help you create a calendar that informs you when you need to accomplish certain things.

Carosa informs juniors, “This is the year that counts the most for colleges. That’s the last complete year that colleges really look at, because by the time they become seniors, the application process is already there. So, they’re encouraged to do well from the time they’re freshmen.”

7. Are there college fairs offered at this school or nearby?

Imagine visiting 20 colleges in one day. That can happen if you attend a nearby college fair – where the colleges come to you. Ask your counselor when and where you can attend a college fair. “Different colleges, community colleges, trade colleges, and universities come out and they put their tables out in the mall area of the school. The students are just encouraged to look around and look at the pamphlets, and talk to the representatives and see what the school is about,” explains Carosa.

8. How can I find money for college?

The most unfortunate misconception about higher education is that college is only an option for the wealthy. Not true! Ask your counselor to tell you about all of the money you could qualify for – whether it’s in the form of grants, scholarships, or easy-to-obtain loans.

Carosa emphasizes, “The first step is we try to get them to apply to college, because a lot of times they’ll tell you, ‘Miss, I don’t have money.’ I say, ‘You know what? You just apply and worry about the money after. We’ll figure out something. We’ll do something.”

9. Do you have information to help me start exploring my interests and possible careers?

Your guidance counselor is, in essence, your ‘career counselor’ too. Ask your counselor who can best help you plug into the programs that most schools offer. According to Bryan, “There are so many programs high school students can be involved in that are career related. Some are internship programs, or research programs, to kind of give them that experience.”

10. Can I go to college if I don’t have a Social Security Number?

Another question to ask, if it applies to you, is what can I do to go to college if I don’t have a social security number? Some states have laws that enable high school students to go on to college and even avoid paying the higher out-of-state tuition fees even if they don’t have a social security number. For example, in California, Assembly Bill 540 makes that possible.

David Santiago, Guidance Counselor at Theodore Roosevelt High School, says “If you are a high school student for at least three years, you qualify as an AB 540 student once you’ve graduated from high school with your diploma, and therefore you can pay the resident tuition rate.”