What are you interested in?
What can you see yourself doing in five, ten, twenty years?
What jobs will be available when you graduate?
Ever since my freshman year, I can remember parents, teachers, and counselors continually drilling these questions into the minds of me, my friends, and just about every other teenager across the country. From the first moment we step into high school, we're taught to focus on that one goal, that Holy Grail of all college life: the degree. Needless to say, when I think about college, I have a hard time focusing on anything other than my Bachelor's degree. I've gotten so used to asking, "Which major should I choose?" and "Should I take a double major or just focus on getting a master's degree?"
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True, every student should be taught to keep his or her "eyes on the prize," but not at the cost of being blinded to the rest of the world. Often, I would catch myself focusing so heavily on my grades that I couldn't see how much of life I was really missing. Even at 17, I have my regrets. What would have happened if I had gone on that camping trip with Aunt Linda instead of spending the weekend working on a biology paper? Or what if I had taken that after-school job at my parents' office instead of spending all those hours focused on homework? True, grades are important, but they're nothing compared to real-life experience, and that's exactly what I intend to get when I go to college.
Of course, I don't intend to just abandon all of my schoolwork and leave my grades to chance. I've worked hard for the past twelve years, and I'm proud of what I've accomplished. No, I won't become one of the so-called "college bums" on campus, but I'm not going to be a recluse either. I consider myself not just a scholar, but a writer, an artist, and most importantly, a human. For the next four years, I want to experience life. I want to learn about Greek history and differential equations. I want to write short stories while I lounge under the trees in the Grove. I want to cover my dorm walls with canvases that I painted. I want to live.
When I get to college, I want
One question that comes to mind when graduating high school is, “should I attend college?” For many graduates this question have a very obvious answer. A high school graduate may state that, “college is the best option if one is trying to get a higher level of education, and will help one compete for a higher paying job.” However, in my opinion most graduates do not consider the fact that going to college is a very big decision to make and that the schoolwork will not be easy. Going to college is not the best choice for every high school graduate because many students cannot handle college, colleges’ lower standards, and not all jobs require a college degree.
To many high school students, college seems like a far away land, a mysterious place where everyone wants to be yet not many know how to get there. As children, our parents tell us how much time we have to think about college, and that it is too far down the line to think about. The truth is it is never too early to think about your future. I, like many people, put little thought into my future career and now am lost in an unfortunate mix of indecision and anxiety. Not knowing where you want to be in the future is a hard burden to bear. Many of us tend to find out that we only know what we do not want, not what we actually do want. Do we want to be poor? Absolutely not. Do we want a boring job? Of course we don’t. We all want our
Growing up I have always been told that my grades are important. School is my first priority and I believe that my grades along with other factors determine my future. Although my grades are not perfect, the mistakes that I have made on tests and in class have taught me to push myself to new heights because I am capable of achieving whatever challenges are thrown at me. If my friends invited me to go out on a school night, I wouldn’t go because I know that if I stay up late it would affect my ability to learn. Instead of going out, I would complete my homework and study for any upcoming tests. Besides grades, the SAT and the ACT are major contributors to my future. When I took the PSAT, I made sure that I went to bed early and was on time for the test because even though it was a practice exam, it showed what I needed to improve on for the real test. When I received my results I began preparing for the SAT that I’m taking in October. I purchased books that are full of practice exams and I have been tutored because I was not completely satisfied with my scores from the PSAT. Scholarship is extremely crucial because it shows not only how smart a person is, but also their work ethic.
My grades have always been a high priority for me, along with my friends, family, and personal health, all of which are important for my future as a productive citizen. Throughout my schooling I have never felt the animosity towards education which sadly many of my peers hold, in fack I have even come to enjoy the challenges that school can present. I think mainly because much of the skills needed to do well in school came fairly naturally to me. Due to my adeptness in school I have felt that I should help those around me which are struggling in school and since I began helping others in school, I have found that I can explain those subjects which came easily to me in a way that could be easily understood by those I
When people say they have graduated college, I automatically think that they have all the answers to succeed in college. I assume that they have received the education they need to graduate and once I graduate, I will have the same knowledge as them. Then they start telling me their experiences and obstacles they faced, but did not regret it because they finished school for something that they were interested in. I then realize that college is a process and to pursue the education I want and need I must start by taking the courses I need and once I complete those courses I will have the education that I want and to complete that I need to find out what interests me the most. But first I need to do my research on what it is I would love to study. I need to understand the requirements for the type of position that I want to move into. Too many people think
When it’s time to starting making solid decisions about enrolling in college, many people have questions about how to choose a college major. Selecting a
My moms raised me with a strong set of morals, including “hard work pays off.” Sometimes this can be discouraging when you work hard, but it doesn’t pay off as you’d like it to. I’ve always gotten the grades I strive for without much struggle. However, once high school started, everything changed. I’d work for weeks on a scholarship essay, and I wouldn’t even place. I’d work for months to get something published and then read other people’s names in the congratulations announcement. I’d constantly wonder: Who’s at the top of the class? Who’s going to win the end of year awards? When you consistently get the grades that I do, people just expect those grades. No one congratulates you on your hard work anymore, and you don’t always get recognized. Despite the lack of recognition, I still take pride in my grades, and continue to work hard. Getting great grades is something I know I can do, even when it’s difficult to do. The difficulty makes it even more satisfying when I see the hard work pay off, and I get the grade I wanted. I’ve encountered
“In fall 2016, some 20.5 million students are expected to attend American colleges and universities, constituting an increase of about 5.2 million since fall 2000” (National Center for Education Statistics). That number seems to be rising each and ever year, and it almost seems as students feel like they have to go to college directly after high school. Maybe it is because they feel that they have to fit in, even if college is not for them. Although some students attend college for academics, sports, and other reasons, some students attend college for no apparent reason; with that in mind, students should take into consideration the time and money that is put into going to college.
Everyone who decides to enroll in college must, at some point, think about what area they want to major in. There are many things that students consider when choosing a major. Some make their decision based on what they think can make them the most money once they begin their lives in the work force. However, many students believe that if you choose a major that interests you and challenges you then you can use those skills that can help you in any career. (R. Landrum & S. Davis, 2014) Let’s face it. Employers know that when they hire someone straight out of college they are not immediately going to know
As a senior in high school, questions regarding college and my plans for the years following graduation are asked to me on a day-to-day basis. College is definitely the most important thing I am focused on this year, and although a college degree is highly valued in the job field today, many argue that not everyone should attend college due to the fact that it brings a new level of responsibility that many cannot handle, many careers now do not require a four-year degree, and because students no longer have the desire to learn.
A big concern in todays’ world for graduating college students is being able to find a job right out of school. More times than not, there are many problems that occur when a student chooses a specific career path. In the short exert “Why Focusing Too Narrowly In College Could Backfire”, written by Peter Cappelli, he discusses in his opinion, as well as many others, the right path students should be taking. The lead way students should be following to secure they get a job in a field they will enjoy. Many students have trouble picking a college to go to let alone what major they want to focus on. Students are told to pick a major and start taking the classes for it as soon as possible without realizing they might not even enjoy that field of work. There are many struggles in college with picking the correct classes and
Many students see college as the stepping stone to a successful career and a happy life. Which can be true for some, however, many overlook whether college will actually help them succeed, or if college will truly be right for them. College is expensive and it is not for every kid who graduates high school, although it is marketed that way, high school graduates must think critically about their decision. Should I take some time away from school, to know myself better? What do I intend to do for a career? Am I more interested in educating myself toward things that interests me now and discovering my major as I learn, or do I feel I know what I want to do? And also essential questions like, how much debt will I go into? And can I
Today, many students are settling for jobs immediately out of high school instead of furthering their education in college. Students should consider how necessary college actually is for their lives in the future. It provides one with a significant amount of opportunities, a greater knowledge about their career plan, and a better sense of responsibility.
When I was a little girl my friends and I always talked about what we were going to be when we grew up. Some said a teacher; others said a nurse, secretary, and even a mom. I knew what I was going to be, but what we don't think about is how we get to be these things. We float through elementary school, having small children fun. Next we go to middle school trying to find our ways in the world, some of us worries about grades, and some don't. Not many thinking ahead of high school, let alone college. In high school we soon realize that grades are very important and better grades give you a better chance at better colleges. So those of us who want to go to college start cramping down on our studies so we can get those desirable grades. I may have not been the perfect student throughout high school. My Study habits could have been better, but one thing I do know is that I want to do more with my life than just a high school diploma.
Most expect that by attending college and graduating they will be able to find a good paying career with benefits in a field that will interest them. It seems that from high school it is drilled into our heads that we must attend college to be successful in life and contribute to our society. However, college graduates often find themselves working in a field that is unrelated to their degree. This could be due to how many people are also trying to apply for jobs in that specific field, or it could be that that job does not provide them with enough money to live off. The most important thing that students really need to ask themselves before they attend college is, “is a college degree really enough in today’s world to get a good career