If youâ??re still in school and youâ??re looking ahead to college, there are few steps you can take that will enhance your ability to prepare for the college of your choice.
Taking classes at a community college is a great way to prepare yourself for a four year university. This method works well whether youâ??re still in school, just out of high school, or looking to get back in the education game after a long absence. If youâ??re in high school, you can start taking classes for college credit before you ever get to a four-year college. Why take your pre-calculus class during fourth period when you can go to a community college after school, take the same exact course, and apply it to your high school and college credits? Start early, take classes at your local city college and kill two educational birds with the same academic stone.
If youâ??ve just graduated high school, community colleges can give you a taste of the university experience at a fraction of the cost. If you have yet to decide on a major, then community college will afford you some extra time to gauge your academic interests and choose a focus of study. You can take your general education requirements at community college and transfer them to a university. If you excel during your first two years at community college, youâ??ll have an easier time transferring to the university of your choice. This option is especially good if you didnâ??t get into youâ??re the college thatâ??s number one on your list. Just bide your time, take your GEs and reapply in a couple years.
If youâ??ve been out of school for a long time, and youâ??re wondering whether or not you still want to go to college, then taking a class or two at a community college is a great idea. You can experiment with different subjects until you find the area of study that you want to invest in.
When preparing for college, itâ??s important that you make yourself into a quality applicant. You need to have balanced, well-rounded abilities. Consider taking a foreign language, playing sports or learning a musical instrument. Participate in extra-curricular activities. Start a club. Get a part time job while youâ??re in school and consider doing some volunteer work. The more challenging your schedule is, the more potent your application will appear. Just donâ??t over do it, you need to illustrate that you have excelled in all you ventures, and you canâ??t succeed if you have too much on your plate.
Be sure to apply to early. Admission officers tend to be less picky at the beginning of the application process (because thereâ??s so many spots left to fill). If you get rejected from your first choice, try appealing. You may not get in on your second (or third or fourth) appeal, but itâ??s worth a shot.
However you decide to prepare, make sure you realize that you are in control of your own academic destiny. You get to shop for whatever school you want, and you get to study whatever subjects interest you most. Take time to research your options, because in the end, you are the only one responsible for your college preparation. The more you know going in, the better your experience will be once you arrive.
Chris Stout
http://www.articlesbase.com/college-and-university-articles/how-to-prepare-for-college-84668.html
#1 by rainson on May 30th, 2009
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How does college prepare you for the working world?
How does college prepare me for the working world?
What are the pros and cons?
#2 by Jesse B on May 30th, 2009
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Pros: Possibility of specialized knowledge, gives you time to mature, helps you learn to deal with stress, helps you become a better writer and communicator, looks better on a resume, allows you to have the possibility for grad. school and beyond, helps you find out what kind of careers you'd be interested in
Cons: Costs money? But even then, its a wise investment.
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#3 by killykole2 on May 30th, 2009
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It really doesn't. It keeps you out of the working world for four more years so that you can mature. But some people are mature enough for the work environment at 18. It took me until about age 27 or so to learn that maturity.
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#4 by Pedro G on May 30th, 2009
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Pros:
- A higher percentage of you getting hired at a job.
- Gives you the skills you need to succeed in the outside world.
- You earn more money if you go to college
Cons:
- It cost a lot of money.
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#5 by KabbaSurabie on May 30th, 2009
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It really depends on what degree you're getting, if you ask me. I had a lot of friends who got earned business-related degrees, and their classes were a direct reflection of the workplace: all about doing presentations, accounting, marketing projects, etc.
For me, as an English major, I'm STILL trying to figure out how my degree prepared me for the workplace. My former professors are still encouraging me to pursue my masters and PhD in English, but I don't want to teach.
With English, it was all paper-writing and class discussion, which I only see being helpful if I want to actually go into teaching. I guess I learned how to be a better writer and how to form/defend a persuasive argument, which would be helpful if I wanted to branch out into marketing or journalism.
But if I wanted to do that, I'd would've majored in marketing or journalism.
I'm not knocking my professors or anything, it's just that some degrees lend themselves more to real-world application (mostly, the sciences and mathematics) than others.
Right now, my career options pretty much all require me to go to graduate school to earn my masters. I'm glad I majored in English because I'm good at it and I enjoy it, but sometimes I wish God had given me a more practical "talent."
Like…if He'd made me good at computer science or business, I'd be all set.
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#6 by mike y on May 30th, 2009
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Actually it does not but that aside education prepares you to be receptive to learning how to learn. A skill that will promote your ability to adaPT TO CHANGING SITUATIONS.
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#7 by TL on May 30th, 2009
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As a second year student just coming back from an internship I can tell you that college doesn't effectively prepare you for work.
College is important to give you a broad field of knowledge and theory of such, but all of that are nothing more than a weak foundation. Experience is always always always the key to getting a good job no matter what (internships, etc).
I'm not saying ditch college. Only a few individuals skipped college and succeed (ex. Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, etc) and the rest of us need a college degree to get ourselves up on our feet to survive what's ahead.
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