Some might be inclined to think that going to college is a rather simple “plug and play” affair, where you really only need go with the flow in order to get (the most out of) an education. Oh, if only that were true. The fact is, you’ll need to proactively make efforts to better yourself at the collegiate level and it really all starts with learning to choose the right courses. The following tips should provide you with some basic ideas on how to do this, so without further ado, let’s get started…
What do you see yourself doing in life?
Before you even start to think about things like college courses you really need to sit down and figure out what you see yourself doing in life. Approaching an institution of higher learning with no clear idea of any defined career path simply isn’t a good idea and will ultimately cause you to flounder around, perhaps missing opportunities. For the most part you should concentrate on what you consider to be your strongest attributes and interests rather than seek out unfamiliar fields. For instance, if you’re already fairly adept at computer-related tasks, like programming, going into computer science is a no-brainer. Often times finding your niche is a painstaking process which might require some serious soul-searching, so be thorough, take your time and think wisely (long-term).
Learn everything you can about that particular subject / career path
Next, once you’ve singled out the path you want to take become a sponge and absorb everything you can about that particular subject. There’s no need to wait until you’re actually in school to do this, really. Each and every day set aside some time to explore some aspect of your intended career path, be it future job expectations or the actual nitty gritty of how work in that field is actually done.
Actually review the related courses for that field
Once you’ve done that, actually review the courses / outlines for that career path. This should only take a day to accomplish, but remember to take notes and if possible, make a detailed list to simplify everything.
How long does the course last and are there special requirements?
*Spoiler alert* – some courses actually list special requirements, which means you’ll need to do some planning ahead if you want to have a streamlined series of semesters. Moreover, these requirements will also allow you to see (ultimately) how difficult study in this particular field is, which can certainly be a major factor later on. Similarly, if you have severe apprehensions as to your abilities, this could be yet another sign to consider another area of study altogether.
What’s it going to cost you?
Lastly we come to what is likely to be the ultimate deciding factor in most cases – cost. When you consider the fact that many students these days are looking very far ahead, beyond graduation to prospects in future job markets, you see that it all boils down to the amount of money spent. Loans notwithstanding, your ultimate goal is to be successful, no? Well, in order to accomplish this feat you will need to consider everything as a value-added expense of sorts, from textbooks and living expenses, to gas money for trips back home and courses / tuition.
As always, good luck.
