Preparing for College

My grades and SAT scores are so low that I cannot get into a state college. I'll be attending a community college after graduation in June. What strategy should I use so I can get into a state college as soon as possible? -- High-School Senior
Answer: Your first step is to prove that you can do college-level work by getting good grades at the community college. The next is to build a strategy based on the admission requirements of several of the state colleges. You must understand what their admission preferences (grades, coursework, test scores) are. A community-college counselor can help you do this.
It is generally easier for students to transfer after completing two years of community-college work. First of all, some state colleges give preference to junior transfers. Plus, you are not likely to have to provide your high-school grades or even your SAT scores.
When you transfer to a state college as a sophomore, you are considered a lower-division applicant. This means high-school grades and test scores will be considered. You could retake the SAT to improve your score.