Apply for scholarships and financial aid. College is expensive, and tuition costs alone can make college dreams seem unachievable for many prospective students. Luckily, help is available. Fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online to apply for large college grants as well as student loans. Contact your universities of interest (through the financial aid department) to inquire about campus-specific grants and loans. Visit scholarship sites like FinAid, Scholarships.com and Fastweb to apply for individual scholarships.
Take or retake the Scholastic Aptitude Test. If you previously took the SAT and scored low, your chances of acceptance into a major university will diminish. You can retake the SAT as many times as needed. Just make sure to prepare by taking practice tests and working with SAT study guides. Note also that colleges will consider the score of the last SAT you took, and not necessarily the test with the highest score. In some regions, you can also choose to take the ACT in addition to the SAT, or as an alternative. Like the SAT, you can retake the ACT as many times as needed.
Improve your grades as much as possible. Even as a senior, you can always improve your grade point average. If necessary, enroll in summer school or hire tutors to help you master difficult concepts. If high school has already passed and you fear that your high school grades may prevent you from receiving acceptance into the college of your choice, enroll in community college classes. This will allow you to improve your academic standing, obtain transferable college credits and ultimately transfer to the college of your choice.