CultusThe process of choosing the right college is a stressful one. After all, the choices that you make now will affect the rest of your life. Your parents, teachers, guidance counsellors and friends will all try to give you advice and support, however, the final decision is always yours.
When choosing a college, always take the time to think things over. Make sure that you do a lot of research on each college that you are considering. Here is the research that you need to do before registering at any college:
Size of the college: The size of a college matters. Are you someone who likes to get involved in a wide range of activities or do you need more personalised teaching sessions? The answer to that will lead you to what schools you consider attending. Remember, larger schools tend to have more activities but less personalised teaching methods.
The courses offered: Many, if not most, students arrive at registration day with an idea on the college courses they want to complete, but no idea what they want to major in. Even those students who are certain about what they want to do end up changing their minds half way through their degree or diploma. For this reason, it is important to choose a college accordingly.
Choosing a college with a wide variety of courses and majors will allow you to experience a variety of courses before you make up your mind. For those who are lucky enough to have figured out exactly what they want to do, you are able to look at colleges from the sole perspective of which one offers the best courses.
Extra-Curricula’s: As a student, you will not spend every moment studying, so it is important to take note of the college’s extra-curricular activities on offer. For example: If you are a star sportsman, you need to pick a school that plays in the best leagues and is likely to help you excel in your chosen fields. Furthermore, look for activities that might interest you. The more involved you are at college, the better your chance of enjoying your college experience and finding out more about the person you want to be.
Cost and financial aid: Unfortunately one of the major considerations of colleges is the cost. You need to be able to afford the school that you attend. Find out about the costs and if there is any financial aid to assist you in paying for your tuition.
Talk to students and alumni: No one knows as much about the school as the students who are currently enrolled and the alumni who have graduated. The students will be able to tell you more about the campus life and academics. The alumni will tell whether a degree or diploma from this institution fulfilled their educational expectations and how it helped their careers.
There is no ‘one size fits all’ college, but you need to find one that suits your personality and career objectives. Use these five tips as a guideline and remember the most important tip, ask questions on anything that you do not understand or are unsure of.
About the Author:
I am Greg Jones, a college alumnus who loved every moment of varsity life. My college courses included writing, business entrepreneurship and marketing. I have found that the degree gave me a completely new understanding on work and because of that, I absolutely love spending my job.
