Choosing a college will be one of the biggest decisions in your life. Once you’ve decided to take the plunge into higher education, you must decide which college is right for you. College is a huge investment of both time and money, so choosing the right college is essential in meeting your personal, financial, and professional goals.
Hence, we have listed out 7 life-saving Mantras that will help you choose the right college.
- Imagine your colleges as Ice cream flavours.
Clear out your mind and understand what is important to you and what you want to become. Then find out which colleges will help you achieve your desired goals. Divide the colleges into three categories based on your insight. Your chocolate colleges are not just your top-choice ones but also those that are most difficult to get into. Your vanilla colleges are the ones with reasonable chances of getting into and where you would be happy to be. Your strawberry colleges are your “safety colleges”—those that you will definitely get into. Although there is no absolute rule, it’s always recommended to also try a few different flavours (colleges). This ensures that you’re hitting for your fullest potential while guaranteeing that you’ll be getting into the college of your choice.
- Keep an Open Mind
Although it’s good to have some ideas in mind about what sort of colleges will be right for you, stay open to all the possibilities at the beginning of your search.
Challenge your assumptions and comfort zone about what will work for you. For example, “you may think you’re not able to thrive in a large institution because you came from a small high school, but … you may actually do better in that type of setting,”
But, don’t limit your search for the right college.
- Do your research.
Once you have listed your preferred colleges, it’s time to do some research. Learn more about your colleges by referring the brochures, websites and the list of offers they provide. No matter how strong your college is academically if you dislike the social scene, you won’t be happy there. Be sure to consider the “big picture”. Note down your questions and get answers by:
- Talking to your school counselor or teachers
- Contacting college admission officials
- Asking admission officials to recommend current students or recent graduates to talk to
- Visiting college campuses
- Comprehend your inborn potentials.
During your search, keep asking yourself questions about your preferences and goals. It often happens that your interests do not match your abilities. Hence taking aptitude, IQ or Brainwonders’ DMIT tests and an effective career counseling becomes a necessity to find a balance between your abilities and your interests. These tests are essential once to pass out your SSC and HSC boards.
You’re changing throughout high school and so may your answers in the search process.
- Career Services
Having an active and supportive career service office is essential. College can open your eyes to careers you never knew existed, and the career service centre can be instrumental in preparing you for your professional life after graduation. Career services include interview preparation, counselling, resume reviews, job placement support, and much more. This would help you give a jump start to your career.
- Internships and Hands-on Opportunities
For many people, the most exciting part of the college education is applying their theoretical knowledge practically for an experience. Many programs will incorporate hands-on training into the curriculum through simulated lab work, a practicum or an internship. Although you can find your own internship with a little initiative, it is worthwhile to consider schools that provide you with direct placement into a position.
Verdict…
As you explore colleges, you’ll discover that some factors are not as important to you as others. In fact, the whole point of going through the process outlined in this guide is to discover which aspects of college life will determine your focus as you research. Ultimately, you want to pick colleges that meet your desires. As you do your detective work, keep in mind that your college education is one of the most important investment you will ever make in your future and it’s worth spending the time to make sure you take the right decision.
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