Expert: Bruce - 4/3/2007

Question
QUESTION: hi bruce,
my name is jenna. i was homeschooled in a program called abeka academy, graduated in 2005 with a 4.0, and until just recently, didn't even want to go to college. well, i've changed my mind. i want to get a law degree from georgetown university complemented with an international relations degree from john hopkins university.
all this time i thought the biggest problem was deciding what i truly wanted to do - whoa! i found out how very little i actually know about this whole higher education process. it's so confusing right now. i want to apply for classes this fall, i'm just not sure where to start.
so my question is, what do i need to do between now(high school diploma) and georgetown?
     - what type of (preparatory?) school should i attend?
     - what should my major(s) be?
     - what type of thing should be on my admissions paper
         (and will i need one for the prep school)?

if you know of a comprehensive book or website that explains this whole process and gives definitions for some of the college terminology, i would love to know what it is and will get my hands on it shortly.

i live in ohio. i just read that ohio's colleges rank among the lowest on the national scale  for education, with the exception of 3(which the article didn't list). so, what exactly should i be looking for in this pre-georgetown school?

i'm sorry if any of this is confusing, as the questions are being formed on minimal understanding(and i do mean minimal!). i appreciate your expertise and the time it takes to form an answer to this exhaustive question!
thanks so much!
jenna


ANSWER: Jenna,

I think I can be helpful to you. I've worked with many homescholers over the years. Let me ask you a few questions:

Have you taken the ACT or SAT yet?  If so, how did you score?

What is your ultimate career goal in terms of law or international work?

Are you hoping to attend a Christian college for your bachelors degree?

Thanks. I'll be able to offer more specifics once you reply on these things.

BTW your local community college should have a Barrons or Petersons guide to colleges on hand. That might be useful for you to have.

Bruce

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: hi bruce,
no, i haven't taken either the act or the sat yet.
my goal is to eventually work as an international lawyer for a private law firm, occasionally taking on human rights cases for foreign clients. i've heard that there's no game plan or rules for becoming strictly an international lawyer, and doing cases in u.s courts is fine with me, but i do want to specialize in international work. . . . .eventually.
i haven't set my sights on attending a christian college. as long as the education is top-quality, i don't really mind either way. i do, however, want to get my bachelors degree in the state of ohio(or lower michigan).
are the barrons or petersons guide guides to colleges in the u.s., or in the state?
thanks,
jenna


Answer
Hi Jenna,

If you want to go to college this fall, you should do a few things ASAP. First, sign up for the ACT exam and also the SAT. The former has an April test date (may be too late) and both have June dates. Most selective colleges will not review your application without one of these scores and the most selective colleges will have closed admission by June. But, you need the scores just the same, for just about any college.

It would be good for you to begin taking courses this summer or fall, even if at a community college. Good work there will transfer to most colleges, and provide another indicator of your ability. So, I encourage you to explore the colleges most near to your home and see what they offer. Good courses to take - Intro to Psych, History, music or art appreciation, Economics, Philosophy. You should not take anything other than a very basic course in the topic of your eventual college major.

If you'll need financial aid, you should go to FAFSA online and file electronically. Make sure you do this off the Fed gov't site - there are imposters that will charge you unnecessary fees. This you ought to do ASAP.

If I were looking for a college in Ohio or Michigan:
Malone
Denison
Ohio Northern
Ohio Wesleyan
Any of the Kent State campuses
Geneva College (just over the border into PA)
Calvin (MI)
Hope (MI)

I'm generally not a fan of large state schools, but you should check them out for sure. Don't discount the possibility of going to a 2 year school and then transferring. BTW, when you apply to law or grad school, the name of your undergrad college will matter LESS than your GPA and work on the LSAT or GRE exams.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you have add'l questions.