College will give you a better understanding of the world in which you live and all that has come before you: art, history, culture, language, science.

College will teach you how to become an expert in any field of study and keep up with the latest knowledge in that field so you can succeed in the career you choose.

College will help you deal with big changes in the world and in your life, understand different points of view, and understand your rights and responsibilities in a democracy.

College will help you see all the possibilities life has to offer.

College will help you make the most of the precious freedom and democracy you enjoy as an American, and it will help you contribute the most to making this country a better place for all.

Think about what career you might want for yourself.   Talk to people in that line of work.  As about education that might be needed.  Do you need to study at college to get into the field?  How many years of college do you need?  Will you have to go to graduate or professional school afterward?  Find all the answers you need to help make your decision.  Ask your teacher or guidance counselor about discussing (in class) which careers will require college.

Study hard and get the best grades you can at school. 

If you are in middle or high school now, talk with your family and a guidance counselor or teacher about the courses you will need to complete to get into an accredited college.  The courses may include laboratory science and mathematics (including algebra), social science, and four years of high school English and perhaps a foreign language.  Work out a plan to take all the courses you will need.

Do not give up the idea of going to college if you have a special problem, a learning disability, or a handicap.  Many college graduates who have faced special challenges have come out at the top of their class!

Don't be a couch potato!  Get involved or stay involved in constructive activities outside the classroom, such as learning to play a musical instrument, membership in a school club, involvement in a service organization, hobbies or sports.  All your extracurricular activities will be of interest to the people who make decisions about who gets into college.  Even junior and senior year in high school is not too late to start extracurricular pursuits.

Find some people who will encourage you to get ready for college and seek their support and ideas.  It could be your parents or it could be other relatives, teachers, guidance counselors, clergy, adult youth leaders or others.  You are likely to get encouragement from people who have made it through college and understand the many benefits it brings.

Find out all you can about various colleges; what people like about them; and which ones people praise the most.  Find out whether your school district has any partnership programs with area colleges that will give you a taste of college life.

Sign up and take college achievement tests.  At the beginning of your junior year, register for the PSAT, which is given in October.  Later on, you will want to take the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT) when it is offered.  Many take the SAT more than once; usually only your best score will count.

Tell your family that you want to attend college.  See if there is anyone in the family who would be willing to help you save for college.  Also, is there anyone who will save their money for your college education?  Often parents, grandparents, or an older brother/sister are willing to help.  Even a few dollars a week saved is better than not saving at all.  New Jersey has a special savings program that adds state dollars to dollars saved for your education.  It is called NJBEST (follow link to NJHESAA).

Don't let anyone convince you to drop out of high school, or tell you not to go on to college because of money.  There are plenty of programs available to help pay for college.  Not having enough money of your own should never be a reason to rule out college.

A college with a reputation for producing graduates who are successful in their career fields.

A college with a reputation for specializing and producing leaders in your field of interest.

Professors who care about teaching and want to take time with the students.

An attractive, lively campus.

A college that welcomes students of different ages, races, religions, backgrounds, and viewpoints.

A college with a large array of extracurricular organizations.

Affordable tuition and fees and adequate financial aid to help you or your family pay the costs.

A college that has opportunities for "co-op" or interning (working at jobs in the business or professional world during your school years).

A college that is the right distance from home.  (Some students are seeking a college that is nearby, while others are seeking a college away from home.)  Remember, too, you don't necessarily have to go out of state to go "away" to college.

There are several different kinds of institutions of higher education.  There are also different kinds of college degrees: "two-year" (Associate) and "four-year" (Baccalaureate) degrees.  Usually if you want to go on to get a Master's degree, you must have completed four years of college.  If you want a doctoral degree, usually you need to have a Master's degree.

Two-year colleges offer the courses necessary to obtain an Associate's degree or a certificate in a special field of training.  With the Associate's degree, you are prepared to go on to get a Bachelor's degree.  These are often known as "community" or "county" colleges.

Four-year or "senior" colleges and universities offer Bachelor's degrees, and often offer higher degrees like the Master's and Doctorate.

In New Jersey, you've got the edge.  You can be closer to home, close to the shore, close to the big city life -- sometimes all at the same time.

Tuition is affordable at the New Jersey public colleges and universities because the state helps pay much of the cost.

You may be eligible for several forms of state aid in paying tuition if you attend a public or private (independent) college here.

You have plenty of excellent universities and colleges from which to choose.