Determine where you would like to complete your college degree and what you want to study. Decide whether you want to complete a two-year associate degree, which will allow you to enter the workforce more quickly, or a four-year bachelor's degree, which often will make you more attractive to potential employers. Also, consider completing your degree online. Online schools are convenient if you are trying to balance schooling with a job and other personal commitments, but you must have access to a computer with high-speed Internet to complete your coursework.
Use a college search program such as one offered by College Board to generate a list of colleges that match your preferences. Visit the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to locate schools that are recognized by U.S. accrediting organizations, which will make you more attractive to future employers (see Resources).
Obtain a copy of your high school transcript or GED, which the college of your choice will require as part of the admissions process. Also, submit your scores from standardized tests you have taken such as the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) or American College Test (ACT). Some schools, such as Florida State University, require you to take both exams since the best score will be used for admission and scholarship purposes.
Take core college classes. These general or prerequisite classes typically include English, communications and history, and may be required before you can take classes specific to your major. Some schools may require additional prerequisites; at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, for example, you also must take sociology, ethics, math and a science course such as chemistry or biology.
Complete your major courses. For example, if you are working toward a bachelor's degree in journalism, you likely will complete a class in advanced news reporting. If you are earning an associate degree in dental hygiene, you must complete courses on radiology and oral pathology. Check with your college program adviser to make sure you are completing all of the degree courses required for you to graduate.
Do an internship if required by your program of study. For example, Ball State University in Indiana requires its four-year journalism students to complete a summer or semester internship at a newspaper or magazine. In addition, Youngstown State University in Ohio offers an internship opportunity to students who are pursuing a bachelor's degree in criminal justice or forensic science. Completing an internship is usually required before you can graduate.