My Primary Concern Regarding College

I have seen that starting college holds many fears and challenges even throughout this exciting time. Starting college is kind of like starting a completely new high school, but on a much larger scale. Some fears I individually have about starting this exciting but petrifying expedition is mainly just being in a new place with tons of new people. I grew up and attended a little K-12 school in a little town where everyone knew everyone and who your parents were which wasn’t always a good thing. I also see countless challenges that I must face to be successful in my college journey. Such as learning how to submit assignments online, managing my time, and being prepared for a harder class load. As we develop into mature adults I consider that

During my senior year of high school, I encountered many obstacles. One of the biggest obstacles was certainly applying to colleges and figuring out what I wanted to major in. It was a task I needed to complete on my own. My parents did not go to college, so they were helpless in the application process. I was also under the impression that my older sisters were going to assist me, but they were too busy with their own classes and work. The pressure was on, and time was ticking. I knew if I waited too long that I was going to hinder my chances of going to college at all and become a disappointment to my parents.

I have always been told that going to college is the opportunity of a lifetime. It seems as if an infinite number of moments have gone into preparing for college. Right when it felt like those moments would continue on forever, I saw the light at the end of the tunnel, and the college process began. As I began to search, and seek God's will for my future, I was forced to ask myself: what is it I truly hope to gain from the college experience? Ultimately I decided that as a college student I hope to become fully prepared for my future career, fellowship and grow with fellow believers in Christ, and be challenged on a deeper level in my relationship with Christ.

Perhaps the biggest contributor to my anxiety in this issue is my financial situation. If money were no object and my classes, books, and credits were free, I would be one of the grey-haired, life-long students in the front row. I would accumulate over fifteen degrees ranging from poetry prowess to molecular biology, and I would take my sweet time in doing so. Heck, I might even live in the dorms for a few years. As my bank account will clearly state, along with the decisions of our "not-so-benevolant" governor, my university education is not so idyllic. Because I am being propelled by financial aid and a scholarship, I feel a painful itch that I must sort through my college education in four or five years or plan to take out a twenty-year loan.

Colleges are institutions of higher learning; I would go to college simply to make more money. College could be described as a rite of passage, where future working men and women step out from sheltered childhood lives into an independent place of learning. It is different from the original schooling most children receive as there is a more in-depth workload that requires more studying. College will change my life as I am open to many fields of study, expanding my mind and giving a glimpse of what to expect when I step out into the working world. Flexibility with learning and providing me with the option to choose what interests me, being treated as an adult by taking responsibility for one’s own actions

Now that I'm a senior I guess college is right around the corner, along with the dreaded expenses. Paying for college can be a stressful experience or a walk through the park. For most it's a mightmare, because of the debt they are or will be in. I've always been concerned about how my family and I were going to pay for college. Fortunately there are many options I can take advantage of to avoid a horrible financial fate.

Figuring out how you are going to pay for college is the second most important thing and it makes a decision easier. I am still in high school working a full-time job at Belk. I give myself a budget for every two weeks and put the rest of my money in savings. I look up scholarships daily and am applying for as many as I can. $50-$10,000 scholarship is better than nothing and it keeps me out of debt at the end and that is what matters. Unfortunately, I do not have a rich family and no one will be handing me a lot of money for college, but that just means I need to work a little harder and there is nothing wrong with that. I will also be taking out student loans to help and my parents will be doing as much as they can. I ask myself questions like “Do I need to go to school because their football team is amazing” or “Do I need to focus on the long run” and “Is going to Kennesaw going to get me just as good of job as Alabama and save me a little bit more money”. So, even with all of these plans I know that I am still going to have debt, but the real picture to look at is how much debt do I want to have when I am already trying to find a job.

Being a freshman in college, I set impractical and unrealistic goals for myself. Throughout the year, I had to overcome various obstacles to strive in meeting the goals I had set out for myself. One of my goals during the first year of college was to earn a 4.0 GPA. I thought this would be an easy feat as I was able to academically grow throughout my academic career—excelling from being roughly a 2.6 GPA student to roughly a 4.0 GPA student. One of the biggest obstacles I had to face was taking exams. In high school, I did not need to prepare for exams as much as I do in college. I underestimated my midterms and finals as I did not know that I had to study at least a week ahead of time in order to obtain suitable grades. In high school, I was able to study one or two nights beforehand and still manage to achieve high grades.

Although some speak of college serving only as a stepping-stone into a career, the intended outcomes and goals of this four-year institution reach much farther. These objectives provide for a more fulfilling experience overall, but are seldom spoken of in the classroom. By pursuing a university degree, students sign into a contract laced with expectations – expectations of civic responsibility, public service, and participation in the global intellectual dialogue. Although some involved in the education system may find these purposes obvious, even taking them as assumptions, students themselves are largely unaware.

Paying for college is one of the biggest challenges many college student face. In particular, first generation college students. Many first generation college students come from low income families. Myself, being a college student and a first generation as well can relate. According to an article written by Eric McWhinnie at cheatsheet.com, 85 percent of parents worry about their children being in debt after college. My first year of college landing me in over $15,000 of debt. This was only two semesters! Being a first generation college student, I did not have many people to ask or get information about college or scholarships. I thought that since I came from a poor family I was the only one experiencing financial difficulties. I was proven

Overall, I learned that getting into college is extremely difficult. People just can't go into high school and not care because it is crucial that a person does well. Right now I am doing extremely well in my academics. I learned that I have to get a plethora of scholarships, and also maintain my high academic standard. Getting a job early is key, which I'm the team manager for the College of Charleston women's basketball team, so I have a little bit of coaching experience. Tulane University will help achieve my goals of becoming a women's basketball head or assistant coach because I will be learning from the best coaches in the country. The business program will also teach me commutation skills and leadership skills, which are vital if I want

As I read chapter one from Your College Experience: Strategies for Success, I agreed with their reasoning based on my experience. College is important, not just to me, but to the nation. It is a system that enables people, including myself a first generation low income student to work hard to achieve the American Dream. My overall goal is to graduate and be qualified for a career to support my family. To do this I need to plan smart goals and overcome challenges.

Without scholarships, grants and financial aids, I will not be able to attend college. My family has to save up to pay for other necessities like bills, insurance, my siblings and my grandmother. I try to save whatever dollar bills or pennies I can find, to help save money being spent. If I receive enough financial help to pay for my first year of college, I will apply for Work Study to save up on money to start supporting myself financially and learn not to depend on my family income but my own. I will continue to apply for financial aid but try to pay for college with my own money as well. I want to take unnecessary burden off of my parents

The word “college” brings fear into my eyes when I hear it. How much will it cost? What amount of money will I get from FAFSA? Can I even afford it? The inflation of the price of college has went up dramatically over the past few years. I a piece of paper with my college’s name, the degree I chose, and my name really worth $100,000?

In today’s society, many people are considering college to either advance their career, make a switch in jobs or start on a path to a more prosperous life. With that set in mind, questions comes to mind “how will I be successful in college? How can I pass all my classes with the best possible grade?” I, myself have had these exact thoughts, and through trial and error have learned some beneficial skills along the way. Three steps that have helped me get good grades and maintain them are attending classes, effective note taking, and time management.