Planning for College

Education in our society is highly structured and controlled. In many ways it can be described as a train taking a select few bright young minds to a predefined destination. For those fortunate to have access to the best education our society can offer, the destination may not necessarily be where you want or need to go.

For the rest of you with your whole life ahead of you, you must seek to gain the knowledge on your own. What do you want to be when you grow up? Are your goals for your future realistic? Are you prepared for the reality of the career of your dreams? These are perhaps the most important questions associated with your hopes and dreams for the future.

The time to answer these questions begins long before you start sending in applications for college. In today’s world, the appropriate time is to address these questions in Jr. High. Ideally, you should have at least three options for your chosen future dream career. After school and summer should be your time to get a feel for the reality of what it will be like to work in these fields.

Volunteering your time as an intern in your perspective career field gives you valuable insight to separate the dreaminess from the reality of the field. Often, your high school counselor and principal can help set up your internship with local agencies.

You may not be able to intern as a potential fighter pilot or astronaut. However, you can apply for the special programs offered by aerospace agencies for students interested in these career fields. Aptitude tests can be a daunting first glimpse into your chances for testing high enough to meet the educational challenges required to pursue your dream career. Don’t let aptitude tests dissuade you from your goals. Use those scores as markers in the areas you need to improve.

If you are really serious about your future, your aptitude and placement scores can be a valuable tool in helping you realize that goal. Unfortunately, even in a nation that prides itself upon the principles of freedom and equality, the wealth of human knowledge remains inaccessible to the majority of us who cannot afford it. There are opportunities for scholarships, but these are competitive.

There simply are not enough scholarships available for every qualified student. Access to an education is arguably the biggest obstacle between you and your dreams. Fortunately, the advent of the Internet is changing that as well for those tenacious enough to search for the knowledge.

Reference:

U.S. Department of Education

Image Credit: Alumni_Hall_1889_Sun Alumni Hall 1889 Sun Public Domain Author Ericci8996