Factors To Consider Before Choosing A School To Apply To

Going into college is the last and perhaps the biggest step before you become a full "adult." The real world and the responsibilities it carries starts to loom over the horizon, and choosing the school you want to apply is perhaps an integral part of setting your course towards the career you'll pursue for a large part of your life.

So what factors should you consider before choosing a school to apply?

Last Updated on: 28.03.2018

Statistics from the World Bank indicate that there are around 200-million students enrolled in higher education institutions around the world every year.

However, despite the growing number of higher education graduates, a lot of them still don't get the opportunity to be integrated into the labor market properly.

As such, choosing a school isn't always exactly a matter of "what you want to take" and "what's in," but rather inclusive of other factors you should consider as well:
  1. Consider the kind of career projection you want to have after you graduate. If you have a projected career path for yourself, try to assess not only if the schools of your choice are offering your preferred degree program, but if their curriculum is something you can benefit from. The more opportunities a school can offer for your intended career, the better an option that school can become.
  2. Consider the availability of degree programs of the schools of your choice. If for instance you don't have a particular career in mind yet, consider checking out the kinds of programs your shortlisted schools have and check out the ones that interest you. How interesting are these programs for you, and which of these have livelihood options that you're interested in?
  3. Consider how popular the school is when it comes to employers. Try to assess if the particular school of your choice isn't just "famous" in general, but if industry leaders or companies within your niche of interest choose to hire from that school. This at least gives you an idea whether or not that school is known to excel in a particular industry or not.
  4. Consider the kind of accommodations the school has should you have to move to a dormitory within or near the school. How safe is the area, should you have to live outside? How far away is it from your home? If you can ride or commute on the way to school, what transportation options do you have? If you plan on taking a college loan, consider getting a loan and applying for a school that can provide the most accommodations you need for the lowest price. This can at least allow you to focus your budget to something else.
  5. Consider how classes work. Different schools and degree programs have different sets of schedules and classes to take. Is the school you're applying to settled with a fixed class load, or do you prefer having the ability to choose what classes you want to take? Having an irregular schedule can help, especially if you can only study for a few units at a time. If you're looking into working immediately, however, you are also free to choose a fixed or a full load of units.
  6. Consider other activities you want to do outside the school premises, and if these are available to you. This doesn't necessarily just apply to hobbies and interests, but consider how close the school is for opportunities for you to get a part-time job, or to get to a public library, or to access emergency services such as a hospital and a police station. Knowing you're in a safe and comfortable environment can provide an adequate learning experience for you.
Conclusion

Choosing a school to apply to is almost as important as choosing where you plan on working. If the factors to consider before choosing are observed, choosing your school is like choosing a second home, which means it has to be an environment where you'll learn what you need in order to achieve the dreams you've set for yourself.

If you want to take preparing for your career to another step, you may want to communicate with firms such as Dolman Law Group to learn more about employment law.

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