What Should You Remember If You’re Thinking about College?
Be Flexible Before You Get Started
Keeping your options open is advisable and also quite helpful. A good number of graduates will even tell you that only the best-laid strategies come with exciting opportunities. Besides, at times, having a clear path gives an improved chance of knowing what you want to pursue in future.
However, there are those individuals who look for reasons of going to college and end up suffering from fear of commitment. To avoid this, don’t look at college as just a long-term venture which you’re not going to complete even before you start. Furthermore, you shouldn’t feel like you should make a major decision in your area of study even before you start.
Instead, college is a stage where you need to keep testing yourself as you explore various interests. Here, you should weigh all your possibilities to see those which you can achieve. Even though it may seem like a daunting task, you shouldn’t worry as most other students find themselves in the same situation.
Most universities also go out of their way to provide you with different resources to guide you. Such include academic advisors, professors, counseling staff, and qualified tutors. Keep in mind that while the idea of going to college may seem somewhat challenging and even suffocating, you can still make it one of the most exciting periods in your life.
You can take part in various activities like joining social groups, getting a job or even pursuing a successful career while still concentrating on your studies. It might be quite fulfilling and enjoyable than you would expect!
Choosing the Best College
One way of narrowing down your college choice is using the ‘PACED’ technique. This means:
- P - Problem
- A - Alternative
- C - Criteria
- E - Evaluate
- D - Decision
The problem here would be choosing the right college and alternatives the various universities at your disposal. I had a couple of options, for example, Boston University, the University of Tokyo, and Imperial College located in London. What you look for in either of these colleges forms the basis of your criteria. For instance, I considered the rank, cost, location and the percentage of acceptance.
In my case, I felt it’s crucial to know where the university is located and the cost. The next step is to know the percentage of acceptance as it’s always good to get an institution with a high intake level. Lastly, I looked at the ranking of the university although this did not play a huge role in my selection process.
As I continued evaluating the colleges, I found that the University of Tokyo had the highest ranking with also the least cost. On the other hand, the Boston University had the best rate of acceptance. Eventually, I settled on the University of Tokyo not only for its favorable fees but also because it’s in my home country, Japan.
The other Universities are found in the US, making the costs a bit too much even for my college budget. However, although the university has a low acceptance rate, it’s ranked quite high on the list of world’s best universities.
Consider Seeking Financial Aid
If you’re interested in joining a certain college but lack enough funds, don’t get too concerned. There are different ways in which you can improve your college education. Some of the best financial aid plans include seeking student loans, scholarships, prepaid tuition, and grants. I noticed that even the larger universities have on-campus jobs which provide flexible schedules that accommodate your studies and personal life.
Conclusion
All in all, colleges are beneficial to a good number of people and they ensure that you get a positive consequence after completing your education. Remember that by attending college, you’ll have a greater chance of financial success and improved quality of life. It will even give you a better opportunity of exploring a wide range of career paths!