I Made It to College! Now What To Prepare?
Does college matter?
It’s that time of year when high school students’ efforts pay off โ a time to feel relieved after putting in a lot of effort studying, finishing required high school courses, and receiving a long-awaited college acceptance letter. Unfortunately, high school graduates frequently wait until the last minute before the start of the fall semester and miss out on the opportunity to get to know their future college better.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, individuals with only a high school diploma had a median weekly income of $730 in 2018, while those with a bachelor’s degree see a much larger increase, resulting in a median weekly income of $1,198. The wage disparity between college graduates and those with less is well known, and people nowadays recognize the significance of attending college.
College is said to be the next step on the path to adultery, and things would be very different. Entering college will help you prepare for the real world and your career by exposing you to a wide range of expectations from a variety of people, including professors and colleagues. Furthermore, your peers will be as intelligent and hardworking as you are.
It would be preferable to be prepared for the upcoming college fall term rather than postponing plans to prepare for college for your career. Here’s some crucial information to keep in mind.
I got in! Now what do I prepare?
Extensive research is required in order to absorb information. The best way to learn about your college is to look into the various majors, extracurricular club activities, recreation, and other opportunities. It is critical to assist yourself in overcoming your anxiety about your future school.
Speak with current students, including those on social media, to learn more about the university. Approach them as if you were conducting a survey or an interview, and ask them what their favorite parts of college are, and then continue by asking them what their favorite part of college is. Then ask, “What are the things you wish you knew sooner? What are the best things to do near college?”
Following that, visit the college’s websites and social media pages to learn more about what they have to offer, or even participate in orientation programs if they have them. The following step is to personalize it using the materials provided.
Above all, only enroll in college if you are physically and mentally prepared. It is critical to take some time to reflect on yourself and come up with ways to stay organized and focused. Request gap semesters or years if you need time off. Time flies in college, so planning ahead of time is essential.
Make sure you understand the various benefits and opportunities provided by college, such as financial aid and work-study, scholarships, and study abroad. Equally important, learn new skills while working and developing strong relationships with your bosses and coworkers.
As previously stated, instead of waiting until school starts, read some books over the summer. The University of California, Berkeley (UCB), encourages students to read books from the University’s extensive library collections:
- Interior Chinatown by Charles Yu
- Gordo: Stories by Jaime Cortez
- All About Love: New Visions by Bell Hooks
- How Starbucks Saved My Life by Michael Gates Gill
- Exit West by Mohsin Hamid
- Year of Wonders: A Novel of the Plague by Geraldine Brooks
- Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music by Alex Roos
- When Brute Force Fails: How to have less crime and less punishment by Mark A.R Kleiman
- Your Inner Fish: A Journey in the 3.5 Billion Year History of the Human Body by Neil Shubin
Aside from UCB, every college encourages students to read books, so why not go find yours and start reading?
With only a few months until college, now is the best time to start planning. It will be exciting to learn about the college you will be attending as well as to enter and learn about a place where you will begin your new chapter in life. The more you prepare by learning, the easier the transition will be in the future.
Read more: U.S. Gap Year Statistics
