It's Time To Start Later Than High School

College is one of the most important things in any young American's mind growing up. Al throughout their lives, they are told about the wonders of college - of how great it is and all of the knowledge you could attain. It wouldn't be an overstatement if I said it is the major topic on the minds of students in high school. But, should it be a major topic on the minds of students in middle school or even elementary school? No one will disagree that starting college preparation early is a good idea, but will starting it too soon have negative repercussions? This is the great question at hand. There are positives and negatives to both starting college preparation earlier or later but, I honestly believe it should not start earlier than high school for most students.

To start off, if you begin your preparation before high school, you will know what the right classes to take there. For example, if you want to go to a culinary institute or become an agricultural mechanic, you'd want to take the accompanying classes provided in high school rather than just taking classes to fill the schedule. Another benefit, would be a greater emphasis placed on school by students. If students are told to prepare for college as early as possible with the information that there grades will help them, they will obviously take it more seriously. In addition to this, it would give students something to work at, as many high school students do not know what they want to do in the future. Pushing them into a certain direction would no doubt help them develop some possible aspirations. Perhaps the most important reason starting prep early is the way it gets you familiar with the college systems; IE. applications, scholarships, degrees. This helps when the inevitable application frenzy occurs during senior year, as if you already know what to do, you won't have to learn in a constricted time