Member Since: January 20, 2006
Answers: 11
Last Update: July 24, 2006
Visitors: 1507
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I'm a sophomore in high school...and I'm really..scared. I don't know what to do with my life!..I don't even know the college process..how do I apply? How do I apply for financial assistance? What's a major/minor? I don't know which classes to pick when I get to college..I don't know what I want to be when I grow up..Can someone help me figure all of this college stuff out? Thanks so much. (link)
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Take it one day at a time. You really can't plan your future, although you should plan your future. Confused? Let me explain a bit.
Why you really can't plan your future:
College is a time of rapid personal growth. Your interests will change and expand. You will be in a new environment, with new people and ideas to explore. Your ideas of who you are, who others are, what it means to be a human being, and what you want to do with your life should be challenged and expanded- even shifted a little if not a lot. The result of college should be that you are living, as Socrates said, an examined life in which you live your values with integrity. My ideas of what I wanted to do with my life, who I was, and what it meant to be human has changed many times both during and after college.
I'll also let you into another secret- people nowadays change careers many, many times. You simply don't know what life will throw at you. You need to build a foundation of skills, values, ideas that will let you weather the challenges of life. Make sure you are a good writer, a good analytical thinker, a caring human heart. Understand a bit about math and statistics, and how the economy and politics work. Know enough about religion, philosophy, sociology, and psychology to be tolerant of the world's diversity and to be a healing part of the world instead of a hurtful judge of others. It helps if you are competent with a computer, can go into a library, and understand the process/philosophy of scientific research. Above all, know when to question your own ideas, how to be a careful thinker that doesn't rush to conclusions or make assumptions. If you have all the above, plus a few advanced career-specific skills, you'll be fine.
A major is a collection of courses in a particular area, such as psychology or math, in which you gain some level of expertise. In addition to the courses required for your major, you will have to take general education courses to give you a broad background in the humanities and sciences. A majority of college students change their intended majors, even several times. College shouldn't be about specializing too much- you should explore all that you can. In fact, many colleges don't expect you to declare your major until the end of your sophomore year. You will also find that, for some fields, you'll need graduate school to do something interesting with that major. Since college is the last easy chance you'll have to take interesting courses in various fields- once your life gets busy with career and family, fitting in a class will be tougher, although you should be a lifelong learner- I suggest taking as many classes outside of your major as you can.
Thus, I believe your choice of college should not hinge too heavily on what you think now that you want to do career-wise. In fact, you can be undecided and unsure. Instead, I'd ask: who are you now? How would you like to grow as a person in college? What interests do you have? Then pick the college that will best support your growth. Would a small, intimate campus help you come out of your shy shell? Or are you a go-getter mega-organizer who would love the hustle and bustle of a major state university?
Why you do need to plan for the future:
You need to do things now that give you the resources to do things later as life throws curveballs at you. Take the most challenging courses in high shool now that will help you make the most of college. Develop some interests in extracurricular activities- but make those solid commitments, not fluff for your resume. It's better to spend a lot of time with one activity than to have 10 fluffs. Research financial aid and be prepared to apply for scholarships. Have as many friendships as you can with diverse people so that you get to know the world better. Talk to adults about how they got into their careers- I bet you'll find that many people get into their current jobs by a circuitious path. I wish that I'd known that- it would have helped me feel less anxious about my future when I was in college. Try to get rid of the notion that your life will necessarily be a linear high school-college-job-get married-have kids-retire path. A lot will happen along the way, and there's nothing wrong with it if you wind up going in different directions than you originally planned. Get in the habit of saving some money every month, even if it's only a dollar.
And... if you have a guidance counselor at your school, talk to him or her. You could print out your question and take it to him or her.
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