College Planning ?

If you don't know what you want to major in, that's okay. Lots of people start college with no idea what they want to do. Start with what’s important to you, what do you want your life to look like, WRITE that down. What’s the biggest change you’d like to make in your life? WRITE that down. What’s the biggest change you’d like to see in your communities (we all have more than one community)? WRITE that down. What are your skills? What do you LIKE to do? What do you wish “somebody would do something” about? WRITE IT ALL DOWN.

After you WRITE IT ALL DOWN, TALK ABOUT IT with someone you trust who will not only support you but hold you accountable and not allow you to give up on your goals. That being said, putting a goal on hold (I call it “tabling”) is not quitting. Sometimes you have to get yourself healthier and stronger, mentally and emotionally, to really manifest the things you want to happen. Sometimes you’re not in the place you want to be, to get to where you want to go. Sometimes we can grow where we’re planted; sometimes we have to plant ourselves where we can grow! Don’t follow your dreams, follow your TALENTS…that will lead you to your dreams!

That being said, if you don't have unlimited resources to pay for (all or part of) college, you should consider taking your general education courses at a local or community college with a high graduation or matriculation-to-university rate. This will give you an idea of what you do and don't like about college, before going tens of thousands of dollars into debt. I went to undergrad and then got a masters years later, and while I love what I do now...I owe more on student loans than I own on my mortgage.

If you have a supportive family, ask their help in planning and budgeting for your future plans regardless of what educational path you take. If you don't have a supportive family, all the more reason to stay focused on your own future and get out as soon as you have a viable plan.

School? Trade school? 2-yr college? Undergrad? Apprenticeship? Own your own business(es)? Consider all your options. Perhaps you know you need to mature a bit before going to school (locally, or away). If you’re not ready to take school seriously, or just sick of school for the moment, can you work or volunteer for a year to get some additional life experience? Can you move in with a relative in another city for a year and work or volunteer? Getting to know another place is great experience in general, and it broadens your worldview. The more you do, the more options you have.

Cultivate relationships that will nurture your future. Have a favorite teacher, or mentor, or adult non-relative that you trust? Nurture that relationship and it will nurture YOU! You never know when you’ll need a letter of recommendation, or one more wise person to help you talk through tough decisions.

College planning can be overwhelming. But please don't let it discourage you. Talk to your school counselor today, see what groups your school offers to discuss college plans. If you have a college or university in your city or town, so there and visit. Read the bulletin boards, if you can visit the Student Union area you can get a log of questions answered.

Hi Nichola! It is great that you want to continue your education. You need to decide what you want to do and start to plan. If you are passionate about something or something you enjoy doing, then look to that as a start. Your high school counselor may be able to point you in the right direction. Check to see what your community has to offer, perhaps a university nearby, a community college, a trade school, etc. all of these should have visitation programs that will help you determine what's best for you. Once you have that plan, then you can start looking at scholarships, financial aid, etc.

Senior in highschool or college ? Either way its a huge accomplishment to make it. Lets address the helpless term.

High Schools usually offer College Night where they invite representatives from Community Colleges and Universities. I definitely recommend attending these events so you have an idea on which school or type of school you want to go to. You will also need to determine if you want to attend a local school or go out of state. College is expensive but don’t let that stop you. There are financial aid available to help. I would definitely recommend seeing a school counselor as well - they have lots of tips to help get you started.

Congratulations to you whether you're a senior in high school or college! Either way its a major accomplishment! Wso if you're a senior in high school my first question would be do you know what you want to study? If so, what colleges do you have in mind? My recommendation would be to narrow it down to top 5 and do your research to ensure they have your major of study. If you're not sure on what you want to study in college that's ok because most college students change their major at least once throughout their attendance. Once you answer those 2 questions, its important that you schedule a college visit to tour the campus and explore the different opportunities they have to offer you.