Choosing the right university and program of
study are some of the most important decisions young people ever make, but they
are also among the most difficult. Lack of information, pressure from parents
or friends, financial concerns, and simple confusion can be overwhelming for
young people and their families making this important life decision. But there
is help out there! RIT Croatia professors, students and enrollment specialists
offer guidance and suggestions to help make sure the college you choose is
right for you.
Think about the skills and knowledge you want
to develop over the next few years. Consider your strengths (what you are
really good at), and how you can build on them.
Look back on your past educational experiences
and be honest with yourself about what works for you. What kind of learning
environments, schedules and workloads bring out the best in you? How do you
want to spend hours, weeks, and months of your time and energy in the next few
years?
If some aspect of your high school experience
was particularly stressful or discouraging for you, don’t sign up for more
years of the same problems -- make sure you choose a college that offers
something different!
Choose a college that will help you develop as
a person, not just gain technical skills. The modern job market is changing so
fast that today’s knowledge quickly becomes out of date. Today’s employers are
looking for more than just technical skills; they want people who are good
communicators and creative thinkers, team players with emotional intelligence,
who are well organized, independent problem solvers.
Also, make sure you choose a college that
offers a personal career counseling service with real people you can talk to.
Look for a college that connects you with people who actually work in today’s
jobs and gives you an opportunity to try various different employment
experiences before you graduate. Internships during college are some of the
best ways to figure out what kind of career will be right for you.
Finally, you will be in college for YOU -- not
to make your parents happy, or to impress your friends. Once you get there, the
responsibility of doing the work will be on you. You will do best if you truly
want to be where you are and are motivated and interested in what you are doing.