Monday, 23 June 2014
As summer approaches, another year of school has ended. Some of you are
probably getting ready for a trip somewhere else and enjoy the heat. Some of
you might be starting to wonder what is waiting for you after summer and where
you are heading to and some are still probably looking for signs that will take
you to the right path.
I can still remember the summer I had after my high school graduation.
It was both exciting and scary at the same time. Exciting because I was finally
out of high school and it was the first summer that I finally landed a job.
Scary because I wasn’t really sure what I would be doing after summer. It is
the time where we start to think more about our future and start making ‘adult’
decisions.
What
shall I pursue?
Which
college/university will I apply to?
How
do I sign up for classes?
Will
I make any friends?
How
will I be able to pay for my tuition fee?
How
do I apply for student loans?
Who
will I speak to about my concerns?
Some of you are probably asking the same questions above. It is
overwhelming and it somehow feels like you’ll never get to where you want to be
because of all these processes that you need to take care of before you
actually get there. In other words, it’s like going sky diving and realizing
that you forgot to put on your parachute.
Just kidding. It’s not that scary.
For us immigrants, it might be a completely different process than for those
who were born in this country or have been here a lot longer than when
they started high school. Some of you might have to go to adult school to
complete your credits from high school, some might have to upgrade in order to
take college level classes, some might have to take additional classes for
specific programs that have prerequisites, and some have yet to decide what it
is that they really want to pursue now that high school has ended.
I am not an expert but as an immigrant who has gone through the same
situation, here is a three-step advice that might help you get started and less
scared of what future holds.
1. Make a list.
Make a list of your goals, interests and possible career plan. It
doesn’t have to be an intricate and complete list. A simple, abstract one will
suffice. It can be as simple as putting your interests and checking out the
ones that you are most passionate about and would not actually mind
furthering your knowledge about that specific subject area. It can be a list of
the colleges you wish to attend to. It can also be a list of your simple
everyday ‘to-do’ list. Making a list will help you to look forward for
something and get you inspired to keep going.
2. Research.
I am pretty sure that you are all familiar how internet works and the
great thing about it is that it is more than just social networking sites and a
place to watch cat videos. Everything that you need to know about applying for
college is sitting somewhere around the interwebs. Remember the list I
mentioned earlier? That list will now come in handy. You can start by
searching about a specific interest of yours. For example, I am interested in
Psychology so I searched about the career areas, specializations and pretty
much everything that there is to know about the field. Then, I searched for
colleges that offer the program and then the requirements that I need in order
to get into the program. Yet, here’s another tip, when you do a lot of research
and you gather a lot of information it can be quite overwhelming and when that
happens, I suggest that you take a deep breath and stop searching. Remember the
list? Now is the time to take a pen and paper out and make a list again. This
time, list the questions that you have in mind or just simply write down your
thoughts about the whole research. This will help you map out a plan and
specify the things that need to be done.
3. Email. Call. Make an Appointment.
I know this part is a lot more challenging than the previous ones but
treat this as an experience and a way for you to step up your game and put your
foot forward one step at a time. Most of the colleges and universities offer
assessment and counselling for students who wish to pursue their post-secondary
education in their respective institutions. Talking to someone about your
concerns will be helpful not only to help you get started but to learn and
understand more about the processes with regards to your academic career. If
you are not comfortable going alone, ask your parents or older siblings to help
you out. If that doesn’t work out for you, you can still go back to
researching. This time, do your research in the college’s website. List the
things and questions that you are unable to find answers to and then call,
email, or make an appointment with the school you are interested in going.
I know that the three steps require effort and a lot of thinking. But I
do hope that it will help you get started and figure out where you are heading
or at least, inspire you to not give up just yet. Think of it as one item on the
list that you can cross off in order to get where you want to be. Just take a
deep breath and get on to work because I guarantee you, a year or two from now,
you’ll be surprised how far you are from where you started. And one last thing,
Don’t be scared.
Because nothing is scarier than knowing that you let an opportunity and
a chance passed by without you doing anything to grab and hold on to it. And even if
you are, scared, just know that we’ll be at the sidelines rooting for you.
- Janine
