Instead of the typical beach vacation, for the past two years, I have spent spring break touring colleges for my older siblings while they search for their future schools.

After visiting five extremely different colleges: tiny, religious, huge, etc., I now know information on what schools want, that most freshmen do not yet know. Freshmen do not comprehend that the mistakes and slacking off during freshmen year do count, because the high school transcript includes freshman year.

However, that does not necessarily mean that to get accepted into college, the applicant must have straight As. I have learned that colleges look at courses the student has completed. Schools like to see student participation in more rigorous courses rather than easy ones that make a high GPA less of a challenge.

If students do not succeed as freshmen, they can still get accepted to a decent college. Admission officers appreciate a general trend of improvement. Officers interpret academic improvement as gained maturity and a strengthened work ethic, both of which are admirable traits.

Colleges also look for well-rounded students, meaning students should not spend excessive amounts of time hitting the books. This experience taught me to get more involved in the school and community by joining clubs, volunteering, and possibly finding a job.

Unlike the other juniors and seniors on the college tours, I am fortunate enough to have the opportunity to achieve what colleges expect in my upcoming years.