Today is a great day to start preparing for college! Whether college is years away or right around the corner, you can take steps now to help make sure that you find the right fit for your future. In this section, you will find tips and tools to help you get prepared for the journey.

Level Up Virginia

Visit Level Up Virginia, our new website to help students and families prepare for education after high school. Visitors to the site can explore the different educational opportunities, learn how to pursue the path they choose and examine financing options.

What You Need to Do This Year to Prepare for College

When it comes to getting into college, every school year matters. The decisions you make, the actions you take and the effort you put in will impact your next steps and options. Check out the Level Up high school student page to help make sure that you don’t miss out on opportunities.

Figuring Out What You Want to Do with Your Future

To figure out what you want to do in your future, it’s important to know your likes and values. These personal preferences can shape your career and the things you do for the rest of your life. The Virginia Wizard offers career and work values online assessments to help. K12 students automatically receive a free Wizard account. Ask your counselor or teacher to activate it. Also, try the Imagine link to see what kind of careers and areas of study will support your future lifestyle.

Questions You Should Ask about Colleges

Take advantage of every opportunity to speak to admissions representatives and current/prior students. And if you have the prized opportunity to speak with college students or alumni, you can learn so much more. 

Additional Resources

• Interests
• Choosing Classes
• High School Graduation Requirements
• SOL/PSAT and Standardized Tests
• Credit for AP, IB, Cambridge and CLEP Exams

Explore any of those links or move on to the Applying to College, Paying for College, Making Decisions about College, Student Loans and Resources sections.

ECMC College Nights in Virginia

ECMC (Educational Credit Management Corp.) has sponsored College Nights in Virginia every year since 2007. Participating locations across the Commonwealth provide opportunities for students and families to learn and receive information about planning and paying for college. Events are open to the public. Students attending events at eligible host sites may be entered in a statewide drawing for one of 20 $1,000 scholarships. Events are open to the public. See the College Nights in Virginia locations. Locations are added regularly, so check back and/or ask your school counselor if your school will be hosting a College Night event.

ECMC's Opportunities booklet for Virginia is a great resource. Check out this year's edition!

A Career Cluster is a grouping of occupations and broad industries based on commonalities. Virginia has 16 career clusters. Explore careers and use Virginia’s Career Planning Guide to help find careers of interest. See career profiles and learn the paths taken by professionals across the state.

Preparation is important. Confirm and make your plans with your family and school counselor. Your school counselor can be a huge resource and source of advice on your future.

Free viewers are required for some of the attached documents.
They can be downloaded by clicking on the icons below.

Acrobat Reader Windows Media Player Word Viewer Excel Viewer PowerPoint Viewer