Many people are going back to college to retool or advance their education due to the current economic strain. Entering the admissions process can be quite intimidating, especially if it’s been some time since you've been in school. At the start of the process you are often given a quick self-interest survey to determine which degree program would be a good fit. Often, people don’t give a lot of prior thought to this important aspect; they just know that they need to go to school. If prospective students are not able to pinpoint a real niche, admissions counselors will frequently steer them into degrees that are currently “hot” in the job market, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, the problem with that is this: what if the degree program and who you are don’t match? I see this happen repeatedly and it is unfortunate.
The best program to choose is the one in which you are best suited to compete. Job opportunities are more limited these days so when you can, position yourself in a market that best aligns with your individual skills, interests, or passion. You will maximize your ability to succeed. If you love to communicate and work with people, then choose a career and degree program that will allow you to function in these areas regularly. This will save you a lot of frustration. You don’t want to get halfway through their degree program and then quit because you’re unhappy or push through and take a job you end up resenting and then feel stuck. Accumulating thousands of dollars of debt and investing your time to experience regret is just not worth it.
To avoid this, thoughtfully consider and answer the following questions before you go to your admissions interview:
1) Who am I? (E.g. Am I a quiet person? Do I like working with people? What’s my personality type?)
2) In what areas do you receive your highest compliments? (A friend asked me this question once and I thought it was great)
3) If you could do any one thing for the rest of your life and receive any income you desire, what would it be? (You might have more than one response)
Now that you have a clearer picture of “you,” think about what degrees or career paths for which you might be best suited. Write these down. This will help you determine to what schools you should apply and on what degree programs to focus. I hope this helps!
Position yourself to win!
Marius Massie
www.revolutionaryculture.com
Marius Massie is a former bullying target and abuse survivor who speaks to teen and adult audiences about the power of vision and how parents can beat the odds and become the most influential force in their children's lives. Questions? Contact 612-547-9160.
