High school personnel can offer a blueprint of what you need to have completed by your senior year to be accepted into a four-year college. However, if you are targeting a specific college, find out what that institution looks for in a student. For example, Princeton requires its students to have four years of study in English, math and a foreign language, two years of science laboratory and two years of history. Some music, art or a second foreign language is also required, as is completion of the SAT or ACT, and three SAT IIs.
Some colleges also look at class rank, grade-point average, and ACT or SAT scores. Arizona State University requires students to have graduated in the top quarter of their class. Otherwise, they must have earned an ACT score of at least 22 or an SAT score of at least 1040. If none of those are met, they must have a GPA of at least 3.0.
Depending on the future area of study, there may be special requirements a student must meet. For example, those who want to study architecture at Cornell University must have completed a portfolio and go through an interview. The same is true for Cornell's art, agriculture and life sciences, and human ecology programs. Colleges also consider a student's extracurricular activities to determine her depth of interest in the subject matter she plans to study. For example, if she plans to study music, participation in the school band and private music lessons would make her a more appealing candidate than a student with no musical experience.
All colleges require students to fill out an application and pay a fee, as well as submit a copy of their high school transcript. This is usually handled by the high school's guidance office, and colleges sometimes contact it directly. Some applications also require a letter of recommendation and/or an essay.
If you are planning on attending a two-year college, requirements are different. In addition to filling out your application, you may need a high school diploma or a GED. It is not mandatory to have taken the ACT or SAT, but if you did, the college may request a copy of your score. Also, if English is not your primary language, you may be required to take an language proficiency test.