Dear Alyssa,
How did you decide what college was right for you?
-Concerned About the Future
Dear Concerned,
For many people, choosing a college can be a very stressful and time consuming process. After all, you’re picking the place you will call your new home. This is the place where you will spend some of the best years of your life.
When you’re making this decision, it’s important to think about the big picture. You have to figure out what kind of things you want in a college, but also what things you definitely don’t want. If you’re someone who doesn’t like to be far from home, it obviously wouldn’t make sense for you to choose somewhere across the country. Distance should play a huge role in your college decision. It may not seem like a significant issue now, but think about all the times you may want to come home. The cost will surely add up.
You should also pay attention to the surrounding area of your chosen college. What types of establishments are in the vicinity? If you’re not someone who enjoys a big city, then you probably don’t want to be at a college located in the middle of, say, New York City. If you want more of a college-town feel, then you should look at schools that meet that criteria.
Another really important criteria to consider is the size of the campus. In my case, I had to think about how different the class sizes would be at each school. Would I be okay with walking into a 300 person lecture hall? Or would I rather be in a 30 person classroom? No matter how cool a school may seem, you ultimately have to do what’s going to be right for you.
The last, and perhaps most important, factor in all of this, is the price. College is an investment. You have to think about how much you’re willing to spend and how it will affect you in the future. For some, community college is the smartest plan for them. They will save a ton of money, and miss out on the debt that the rest of us will likely inherit. If price isn’t a big factor in your decision-making process, then you can rely on all of the other variables when making your decision.
Overall, there are a lot of things to consider when making this tough decision. You can’t predict the future and, quite often, things don’t work out the way you planned. That being said, sometimes they do. It’s a stressful time to make this decision, but you have to remember that things will work out in the end. Whatever you choose, as long as you go in with an open mind and positive attitude, I’m sure you will be happy.
Yours Truly,
Alyssa
Dear Alyssa,
Where can students find scholarship opportunities?
-Scholarship Curious
Dear Curious,
One of the smartest things that college-bound students can do is apply for scholarships. Although a painstaking process, it is one that will certainly pay off in the end.
The whole college process is a stressful one. It can seem very overwhelming to people when so much is happening all at once. For me, it was very hard to finally sit myself down and take the time to do it.
The guidance office here at the high school provides you with ample information regarding scholarships. Once you take it up with your guidance counselor, he or she will provide you with multiple websites and resources that can steer you in the right direction.
Another place you can look is the guidance office page on our school website. This page has multiple scholarships to apply for and all for different activities. Case in point, if you are a WHS cheerleader or football player, there is a scholarship specifically for you. If you were a part of a certain club, like Student Coalition, there is a scholarship specifically for you. You will be astonished by all of the different and very specific options out there!There is nothing to lose when applying for a scholarship; it will only benefit you.
Applying for scholarships does take a great deal of time. The best thing to do is pick a day to sit down and really look at them. You will need to invest your time. However, writing a simple essay could result in a $500 scholarship, so your investment will pay off in the long run.
Another factor to consider is that the majority of the scholarships you will apply for will consist of prompts that are closely related. Many times, I found myself writing very similar essays for several different scholarships; I was repeating most of the things I had already written. I’d suggest writing one really strong essay, and then using that as a model for the others. Work smarter, not harder.
I encourage you to utilize the resources given to you and make the most out of these opportunities. As I said before, the only thing you can do is benefit from this.
Yours Truly,
Alyssa
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