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Last Updated on December 28, 2020 by Work In My Pajamas
There are many good colleges out there. That is why many students struggle through their decision making process once it’s time to choose the right college to pursue their career of choice. Indeed, available statistics (PDF) show that about 80% of them choose the wrong major. Without the right information, students can make the most bizarre school choices only to regret their decisions later. We have compiled a list of five mistakes that every student should do his best to avoid when choosing a college. Take a read.
In This Post:
Blinded By Relationships
Many young people find themselves in love or in a relationship during their time of transition to college. It is not uncommon for these students to choose a college just because their boyfriend or girlfriend will be attending that college too. While this might seem like a perfect plan at the beginning, it almost always leads to regret. Choosing the college to join is a huge decision with lifelong implications. Therefore, it is shortsighted to make the decision based on a relationship that will, in all likelihood, mean so little just a few months or years down the line. Truth be told, if your relationship is as strong as it should be, going to different colleges will not destroy it.
Rushing Through the Process
It is one thing to think that you know the college you want to go to and an entirely different thing to be right in your choice. Indeed, many students change their decision on the college they want to attend more than once during the choosing process. That is why you cannot afford to rush that decision. No one wants to quit a course halfway through because he has realized that the school he chose is not what he thought it was. Start the choosing process early and consider everything. This way, you are likely to narrow your options in an informed, thoroughly considered manner.
Working with Your Parents’ Decision
Some parents can be extremely pushy, demanding that you attend the college they chose for you. Although there is no harm in considering their thoughts, it would be a miscalculation on your part to go to a college just because that is what your parents wanted for you. Some parents push their kids to pursue their own dreams as a way of salvaging their fading dreams. You should not allow them to push you to go to a college based only on their feelings and convictions.
Procrastination
Procrastination can cost you a great deal. You may find that all the good colleges are unavailable by the time you start the choosing process. To avoid such an outcome, schedule the process early on and allow yourself the privilege of choice. The last thing you want is to make a haphazard decision because you did not have the time to consider all the factors at play.
Failure to Visit the College Beforehand
Some students do all their college choosing online and will only show up on the day of admission. The problem with this approach is the likelihood of suffering unnecessary disappointment when you walk into the college only to find it is nothing like what you saw online. Going to the school allows you to feel the atmosphere, consider its community and see how compatible it is to who you are and what you want.
Going to college is a pivotal moment in life. Don’t rush through the college choosing process. Your entire future may depend on the quality of the decision you make.
