By Sarah Ogent; Reporter

College. ACT scores. Financial Aid.  These all haunt teens as they enter your junior year of high school. One way to start to think of personal interests and how they could develop into a career or job. The next step is researching schools with special programs specifically for your field of study. For example, if you are interested in journalism, the University of Missouri is known for their prestigious journalism program, so one may want to obtain entrance requirements for the Journalism School. Do not let friends or older siblings influence the school of choice. Otherwise a student will end up paying thousands of dollars on a school that may not offer the program he or she are interested in.  Once you have a few schools narrowed down that fit your personal likes whether it comes to the campus, to financial purposes and programs offered the next thing to take into consideration is the ACT or SAT. These tests are crucial towards acceptance. The ACT is an achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school. The SAT is more of an aptitude test, testing reasoning and verbal abilities. Be sure to look up which require those tests to take.“The first time I took it, I did nothing. After that, I took a class and got some books,” said Nick Carter, senior.  Most schools on the west and east coast accept the SAT whereas schools in the Midwest accept the ACT. Have trouble with test taking? “There are practice workbooks in the guidance office, and practice tests online,” said David Pitts, counselor. There are also courses you can take through different schools in order to improve one’s score. The last thing to discuss is the cost of the school. College is expensive. That is why applying for scholarships and grants is so important. “I have been offered scholarships from several schools ranging from a few thousand dollars to over $20,000 per year,” said Carter. Another method to pay for college is a student loan. “In order to apply for a student loan, you have to fill out FASFA” said Pitts. Remember, your choice of higher education can increase your income based on how many years of college you attend and what degree is earned. According to the U.S. Census Bureau and 2002 America Community Survey, 52.7 percent of Americans have some college education.  Only 27.2 percent have actually obtained a degree. If you have any other questions, visit the guidance counselor Ms. Shambro for more information on college.