Published on December 13th, 2019
No one wants to bet their entire future on making the wrong choice when it comes to going to college or university.
Going to the wrong one can be fixed afterward, but it can also be messy! Moving to another university after the first year of an undergraduate degree means transferring credits, and some or all may not be accepted.
There’s also having to go through the application process all over again. So, here are a few tips on choosing the right place from the start:
1. Find A Reputable University
This is the most important part of looking for a good post-secondary institution. There are so many people who believe that a college within their hometown or less than an hour away is a perfectly good choice.
It may be, but one’s future means looking beyond what’s within driving distance of Mom and Dad’s! No matter how close or how far away, every college and university is on a ranked list. It’s always a good idea to look up every college that is under consideration for an application.
2. Use That Average To Its Maximum Potential!
A good GPA or High School Average is nothing to be ashamed of, and it’s certainly not something to underrate when it comes to applying to universities. A high average means that one can get scholarships and it means that one can get access to better institutions.
3. Don’t Go To The “Friends” University
No, we’re not talking about the place where Chandler or Monica went to college! This is, however, a time in one’s life where high school friends can influence others a bit too much.
Some people might be tempted to go to “Smith” University, for example, because all of their friends are going there and so that they could prepare essay plan in UK together. It might even be the university that everybody’s going to!
The truth is that it probably is the popular university for everyone at your high school to go to, but that also usually means that it’s one of the easiest to get into! So, go a that different route and go to a college that better suits you.
4. Find A University With The Right Field
This isn’t about soccer or football. If someone is going into the discipline of engineering, for instance, then do more than simply finding a university that has an Engineering Department. Instead, look for a college that is known for its Engineering Department.
Graduates who come out with a degree from a University that is famous for degrees in that field are graduates that get jobs.
5. Don’t Try To Punch Above Your Weight
There is a saying out there to “fake it until you make it”. It’s also blatantly false. I have personally heard and have seen many people try to do this, only to fail in the end. The same is true of applying to universities.
Stretching oneself and one’s abilities are always a good thing. But, it’s also good to know that it’s better not to go to a certain university than to go and wash out after a year. Apply to places where you know that you can succeed, not to places where you won’t.
6. Go to Your Happy Place
This is true of the mind and the body. Anyone who goes to a university for education should never go to one just because their parents or friends want them to go to that one. University education is a long term commitment and not one to be made under duress.
Don’t worry about where everyone else wants you to go. Attend the university that you want to go to. It’s your life, after all, and ultimately your decision. Always remember that the choice of university affects the rest of your life and not theirs.
And, now, with these tips in mind, go and apply!
