CHOOSING A COLLEGE

What college should you go to? It depends on a number of things: the kind of profession you see yourself practicing, your budget, your academic background, and whether or not you’re willing to relocate.

There are hundreds of colleges and universities all over the country, and thousands all over the world. This means that whatever your preferences or your background, there’s bound to be a school that’s perfect for you.

It is very important that you find a “good fit”. A college’s reputation is very important, but so are your needs and your personality. Remember, you will be spending the next four years of your life in this school. Make sure that it can provide the learning environment which will best develop your potential and lay the groundwork for your career.

With such a wide selection of academic institutions, how do you narrow down your options? Here are some factors to consider

COURSE OFFERINGS

What courses does it offer? You may want to be a business major, but nearly all schools offer a business track. Look at the subjects and the curriculum. Do any of the subjects interest you?

You should also look at whether or not the school provides enough opportunities for students to have hands on experience. This can include practicum programs, workshops and internships, and field trips. Does it have a variety of extracurricular activities?

If you are considering pursuing additional degrees, does it have a master’s degree and doctorate program?

FACULTY

Who is on their faculty? Look for a mix of academics and professionals with real life experience. It won’t do to have teachers that know everything that’s in the books but haven’t actually tested it in the real world.

You should also see whether or not the faculty are respected in their fields. Try doing a Google search on the names in the faculty roster.

REPUTATION

How is it respected in the country and in your profession? Look at college rankings, and ask around. Some colleges may be small but are held in very high regard in a particular field because of the quality of their graduates. Others may be very well known but only have a few strong courses that they specialize in. They may be known for their psychology programs, for example, but have weak fine arts programs.

COSTS

How much will it cost? Don’t just look at tuition; consider living expenses and transportation fees, and the cost of living in that area. Also check if the school offers financial aid, and if there are ways of working for the school to get discounts on tuition.

There are many decisions that we have to make in the course of our lives, but very few have such far-reaching consequences as the one involving our education. It influences our career, our personality, our outlook on life. It opens up opportunities, and enhances our skills. Here are some of the things that college can do:

1. Getting a college degree is one of the best steps we can take towards our professional advancement. Studies do you show that college graduates tend to get better jobs, and there are certain positions and companies that will only hire those who have a degree. Furthermore, college can free you to pursue even the most difficult fields, so that you can do what you really want—whether you’re an inventor or innovator, artist or architect, doctor or theater director.

2. The tuition we pay is just a very small investment compared to the financial rewards that we can reap from it. There are very clear studies on the salary differences between a college graduate and a high school graduate. For example, if a high school graduate gets 34,303 annually, a college graduate will net 56,334. Someone with a professional qualification, on the other hand, will get 99,411. The differences become even greater further along one’s career.

3. However, the “payback” isn’t just financial. College degrees can really impact on your entire personality, developing skills that aren’t necessarily in your transcript of records. For example, it can really sharpen your communication skills, develop your appreciation of culture and the arts, and improve your ability to approach tasks in an organized and methodical way. What you learn in college can also make you more curious about learning even more, as teachers introduce you to subjects that you normally wouldn’t have explored.

4. Many people feel that college was instrumental in developing their self confidence and understanding of themselves and other people. Perhaps it is all the opportunities to share one’s skills, or try out different things. Perhaps it is the environment in colleges where everyone is encouraged to share their ideas. Whatever it is about college, those who go through it have the advantage of being able to discover new aspects of their personality while meeting other people from different backgrounds.

Parents play an important role in preparing their children for college. This includes making sure that they have the financial means to send them to a good school, as well as giving the guidance and the support the child needs to get great grades. Studies show that family environment is one of the biggest factors in a child’s academic achievement. So even as early as pre school, parents are already influencing how the child will be able to cope with the college environment.

The Financial Preparation

College tuition can be very expensive, and parents must plan for many years to have the kind of money that the Ivy League schools and other reputable universities charge for education. The smartest thing to do is to make an investment in college educational plans. Talk to your bank or finance adviser about long term investment options that will ripen by the time your child graduates from high school.

Other options are available as well. For example you can assist your child in getting a scholarship. You can also help your child get financial aid from the various agencies and institutions that specialize in those kinds of loans. Even the school you apply to has student aid programs. As a last resort you can take a home equity loan but don’t do this without exhausting other options.

The Academic Preparation

You can’t cram years of education in one summer. Parents help prepare kids for college throughout their lives. This doesn’t just mean making sure they do their homework or reviewing them right before a test. It also includes developing their curiosity and their love for learning. You can do this by taking them to museums, musicals, field trips, and generally expanding their horizons through activities and experiences.

You should also create a home environment that is conducive to studying. Make sure they have a study area. Create a system of rules and rewards in place for good behavior, good grades and success. If they have a hard time with a subject be sure to step in and help them study. Also praise them when they do a good job and build their confidence and self esteem.

There’s one last thing which shouldn’t be forgotton when preparing for college and that’s personal preparation. For many children, college is their first time away from home and so sabatical years are very much a worthwhile idea as a way of developing independence and confidence. It could be a planned trip through an agencia de viajes, staying Spain for example and learning a little bit of the language, or it could be a worldwide trip – both will promote personal growth within the individual. A common way to prepare is to take one year off between school and college, work for 6 months to earn money and travel for 6 months (spending the money!). This is ideal because not only will the individual have personal experience from the travel but professional experience from the job too – and all this before even starting college!

Many schools, especially the very prestigious ones, will schedule an interview with applicants before approving them for admission. This is an important opportunity for you to impress the school and tell them about strengths that aren’t revealed in grades and test scores. Here are some tips to a good interview.

Don’t be late. It’s very important to be on time as this is a sign of responsibility. You should be there, seated outside the office, at least 10 minutes before your interview slot. So you know you won’t get lost, always find out where the interview will be held (not just the campus address but where that particular building is). Ask how long it will take you to get there and leave allowances for delays and emergencies.

Practice. Think of questions they may ask and practice your answers. Don’t cram this the night before. Think of it at least a week in advance and rehearse. The more times you practice your answers the less nervous and more confident you will be.

Dress appropriately. Don’t wear jeans and a rugged t shirt. You should dress conservatively. Don’t wear heavy makeup or strong perfumes and hide those tattooes and nose rings!

Turn off your cell phone when you enter the office. It is rude to take calls in the middle of the interview.

Know who your interviewer is. Greet the interviewer by his last name and title. Obviously, “Hey dude, how’s it going” is not the best way to make an impression. Do turn off your cell phone or better yet, don’t take it into the interview. Shake his hand (keep your handshake firm) and smile. Be sure to make eye contact.

Don’t sit down unless he offers a chair. When you sit down, make sure you have good posture. Don’t slouch or kick off your shoes, and don’t grasp the handrails in an anxious death grip. Instead, put your hands on your lap so you don’t unconsciously fidget.

When you talk, stress your achievements. This is the most important part of the interview: you are there to sell yourself and to make the interviewer think that you will be an asset to the school.

Ask intelligent and relevant questions about the school, its faculty, and its programs. Go to the school’s website so you have a clear idea of its course offerings. You need to appear knowledgeable about the school. Do close the interview by verifying your interest in the school.

There are so many colleges and universities where you can complete your undergraduate degree. Each school has a different set of strengths. Some are well known for their small classes and individualized instruction, others pride themselves on their extra curricular activities ,and still others are famous for their esteemed faculty members.

But how do you know that a college or university is right for you? You shouldn’t just pick one based on whether or not your friends will be there. It’s crucial that you choose a school that can really match your personality and needs.

Finding a college that matches your needs is extremely important. When you enroll in a school that is very appropriate for your academic and career goals, you have a much higher chance of getting in. Plus, once you are inside, you will be able to get a lot more from the whole college experience and will learn more and enjoy yourself more.

It can sometimes be overwhelming to look at the thick pile of college brochures and decide which one will be best for you. Here are some tips and guidelines to trimming down your list.

Invest in College Guides

These guides give very specific information about the college and you can easily compare them according to criteria. Common facts include the kinds of programs offered, how much the tuition costs, the kind of campus culture you can expect, and much more.

Visit the School’s Website

Nearly all schools have a website. You can take a virtual tour of the college by clicking on it and going through the information there. You’ll be able to see the programs they offer, see photos of the campus, and read about their academic thrust. Some schools will also let you read the profiles of their faculty and the type of extra curricular programs that they offer.

Talk to College Students

Do you know anyone who graduated from that school? Talk to him about what it was like to study there and if he was happy with the way it prepared him for his profession.

One of the things that college freshmen have to learn is how to live independently. For the first time in their lives they are on their own, miles away from their parents. While some may see this as an opportunity to party, party, party, what many don’t realize is that it involves many responsibilities—one of which is budgeting appropriately.

For most of their life their parents were the ones who took care of financial decisions. They never had to worry about running out of cash. But now that they’re on their own they have to compute how much to spend on food, essential bills like rent and electricity, and clothes and entertainment. Without any kind of money sense college students will find themselves broke in the middle of the week with no money for a meal or the books they need for school! Here are some tips on budget management for college freshmen.

Create a Budget

Record all your expenses. This includes big items like rent and small items like gas or food. Keep all your notes in one notebook and file receipts. If you are overspending set a maximum amount you can spend per category and see where you can cut down. Or, if you can’t see yourself giving up on something that’s important to you, get an after-school job.

Stay organized

Bills, receipts, tax records and other financial documents should be kept in files. An expandable file folder will do the trick .Don’t just dump receipts in one box. You’ll never be able to find anything. Clean up your files once a month so that you’re not stuck with too much paper.

Buy used books

Many books are in good condition and you benefit from the notes made by the previous owner! They are also cheaper by half the price. Also use the library resources. It’s free and you can find excellent books.

Don’t take the car!

If you live on the campus then you don’t really need a car. Think about what you’ll spend on parking, insurance premiums, gas and maintenance. You’ll also have to deal with worry of theft. Besides the walking will be good for you.

Look for discounts

Where are the bargain places? You don’t have to buy your clothes in a boutique when there’s a vintage store or other place that has great clothes at lower prices. Also avoid buying from convenience stores as the prices are much higher. Buy your food at a grocery or from the local market.

Don’t Burn the Plastic

The credit card is for emergencies, and when you use them, remember that you are essentially taking out a loan with an obligation to repay.

Almost all schools require an essay for their college entrance exams. Here are some tips on how to let yours stand out in a sea of paper.

First of all you have to be technically proficient, meaning your English must be perfect. Double check grammar, idioms, and sentence structures. You have to show that you have a good grasp of the language and can express yourself well. Watch for common mistakes like misused punctuation, poor subject-verb agreement, dangling participles, and misused words.

Make sure your ideas are organized clearly. Your grammar may be perfect but if your ideas are organized in a confusing way, you’ll never be able to impress the admissions board. Write a topic outline to guide you as you make the essay.

Show the work to someone who is a good writer. Ask if the ideas are clear and if the words appropriately convey your thesis.

Avoid vague words like “nice” or “good”. Get a thesaurus and look for a word that’s more specific. However don’t try to impress them by using high faluting words for the sake of sounding “smart”. It’s not how complicated the word is but how appropriate it is in a sentence.

Use an active voice.

This is the secret to good writing: use the active voice (e.g., I play football) and avoid the passive one (e.g., Football is the sport that I play). The passive voice is boring and sounds less dynamic, while the active voice makes people imagine the scene and gives a greater feeling of immediacy. You may not be conscious when you use the passive voice so read your essay one single sentence at a time to check for any accidental use of passive voice.

Vary sentence length.

Would you want to eat bread and butter every day of your life? No, you want variety. In the same way your reader will like your essay more if you have different kinds of sentence types and lengths. Mix it up. Don’t use all long sentences or all short ones.

More and more people are considering going back to college after several years of working. This is a very admirable decision and will certainly help them improve their career options. However, some of them may feel a little apprehensive about being the oldest person in the classroom. They are afraid of being looked at or being ostracized. They may worry about being left out or being judged for their age. They may have previous traumatic experiences about going to school (which is why they stopped going in the first place). And many of them are apprehensive about the kind of responsibilities they have to juggle. After all unlike their younger classmates they also need to handle several different commitments—to their school, family, and employers.

However, going back to school is something they should be proud of, not ashamed of. Here are some tips to overcome the anxiety and navigate those first uncomfortable weeks.

1. Value your Experience

You have one advantage over your classmates and that’s experience. You know what it’s like in the real world, the demands of the work place, the experiences to expect when working in the industry. Be proud of that!

List down what you have learned and look at that list whenever you feel insecure. Perhaps you have a wide network and know a lot about building human relationships. Maybe you’ve got technical skills that you learned through your job or through other jobs you had held in the past. These “credentials” should be worn with pride. You may not be as young as your classmates but you are more experienced than them!

Also use those experiences and integrate them in your studies. When you read a text book try to think of how it would apply to something you had encountered in your career. Share these insights with your classmates. They will enrich not only your own learning, but that of your teachers and classmates, too.

2. Establish good study habits

You have a lot of responsibilities so time management is very crucial. Be sure to write down what you have to do and to allot a time in each day to cut down on that to do list. Don’t cram. Doing something a little at a time is less overwhelming than cramming it all in one go.

3. Know your learning style

What is the most efficient way of learning? It depends on you. Do you learn by seeing? hearing? doing? You’ll find several learning style self-assessment questionnaires in books and websites. Once you know your “natural mode” of learning then you know what kind of study technique would work for you. For example if you learn best through hearing, consider taping lectures and your own study notes for review purposes.

The most important decision when you apply for a college is what kind of degree you’d like to pursue. Even your choice of colleges is affected by this.

So how do you what course to take? Many people are simply so overwhelmed and say, “I don’t know what I want!” Maybe you are not sure of exactly what kind of job you want but at least identify a particular field.

For example are you going to go into the businesses or the sciences? Are you going to go into the medical field or do you see yourself as a lawyer? Look at what your interest are. You don’t have to be that specific. For example you may have general idea that you want to be in engineering but you don’t have to decide till later if you want to go into electrical engineering or mechanical engineering. In this case just declare one of those as your major and then just decide to switch if you happen to change your mind later on in the school year. Most colleges will allow this and since the fields are so similar then most of your units will be credited.

Another option is to wait before declaring a major. For example if you like electrical engineering and business administration, then delay making that big choice. Instead, choose a school that divides its courses into different subjects ,i.e. college of agriculture, college of engineering, college of business, college of science and math, college of architecture, college of liberal arts, and college of education. As long as you stay within one college you’ll be fine and transferring will be easy. You can stil transfer to another course but you will have to take back units. While it is often difficult to transfer from one college to another, it is much easier to transfer majors within the same college.

Don’t be ashamed to shift It’s common to change majors and studies show that the majority of college students do this. In fact, some studies record as high as 75% of the student population changes courses before they graduate.

Have you heard about Student Loan Consolidation? This convenient system (which is also known by the term Student Consolidation Loan) allows you to merge a given number of loans made by the student or parents into one bigger loan.

Usually what happens is that the borrower or borrowers transfers the balances from the other loans to a new lender, who pays off the other loans. Some lenders will also allow student loan consolidation for private loans as well, but most are for government or public loans such as FFELP (Stafford, PLUS and SLS), FISL, Perkins, Health Professional Student Loans, NSL, HEAL, Guaranteed Student Loans and Direct loans.

Benefits of Student Loans

So why should you bother taking out a student loan consolidation? Well it can let you lower your monthly payments by spreading out the term of the loan over a longer period of time. Most loans will only give you ten years to pay off the loan, but these special institutions will let you pay it over 12 to 30 years.

Admittedly the interest payments do become higher because of the longer pay off period. To give you an idea the interest rate on consolidation loans is usually the weighted average of the interest rates on the loans being consolidated, rounded up to the nearest 1/8 of a percent and capped at 8.25%.

But some would say that this is much better than missing payments and then lowering your credit scores. And honestly, most students will need some time to find a job after graduation. They may not immediately get a high paying job. So a lower monthly rate can be the most realistic option for them.

There are also some cases when a consolidation loan will lower the monthly payment without actually lengthening the overall loan term beyond 10 years. One example of this is when a loan payment was completed before the end of the 10 years because of minimum payment requirements. So what happens is that the loan with a shorter term is extended to 10 years, so that the sum amount of interest goes up unless you make the same monthly payment as before.