The Full University Experience: Ms. Raegan
After high school, there is one thing we either dread or anticipate: college. What is the purpose of higher education, and how does it prepare you for life? There are also issues with attending university because of tuition, majors, jobs, housing, and, of course, social life. Here are Ms. Raegan's responses to the top 7 concerns students have about attending university:
Deciding on a university and major
Despite not knowing what to major in or what to pursue, there are things that we personally love and feel a connection to, so we should look for programs that offer these options. Ms. Raegan suggests selecting the university that you like the most—one that offers the programs that interest you the most.
Tuition
The cost of university and living expenses is certainly expensive, so how would we handle this? Consider getting a job, applying for scholarships, or taking out loans. Loans, however, may take a while to resolve, so they must be handled seriously. For some people, getting a college education is really important, and working may reduce study time. Ms. Raegan says, "If your college education is important, it is worth it to take loans, but do not take more than you absolutely need."
Course Selection
Course selection will depend on the university you attend, yet there are undoubtedly core courses that are required. Larger universities may provide more resources for choosing courses; nevertheless, academic advisors are available even if these resources are not available. The majority of the time, a course has multiple class sessions, giving you the choice of either morning or afternoon classes. You must get up early for your morning classes, allowing you to be productive for the rest of the day. Although they sound very tempting, afternoon classes allow you to sleep in, which reduces productivity.
Social Life & Dorms
Greek life or houses (as in Harry Potter) might exist. Additionally, there are also clubs and student-led events. Many students in college live in dormitories, often with roommates. It may be difficult to live with roommates if rules aren't established or if there are conflicts, so settle this before moving in, and throughout your years in college, it's possible that you'll move to different apartments or dorms.
Outside of Academics
The university experience involves more than just academics. Student councils, debate teams, and other organizations are some of the clubs and teams that exist, and there are activities around campus and in the surrounding communities. University can be a great place to meet new people and have a lot of fun!
University Reputation/Ranking
The best education isn't always provided by Ivy League institutions. Employers sometimes consider students at elite institutions to be pretentious, yet other places may place great emphasis on Ivy League education. Overall, attending a renowned university does not automatically imply receiving a higher education than at other universities.
Preparation for Work & Life
Some colleges might not offer a meal plan and have apartments instead of dorms, which gives students real-world experience dealing with property management and more. This may not be the case for some universities, so it is recommended to not only live in dorms but also in apartments in order to gather experience.
Education does not necessarily prepare students to find employment; however, there may be programs available to assist students in being prepared for job applications and interviews. Applications for jobs must meet certain requirements, such as experience. Even while experience is essential, it's more important to be able to accomplish the tasks associated with the position, so you should still apply if you are certain that you can do it.
These are the important questions about the university experience, addressed by Ms. Raegan Stanley. Lastly, Ms. Raegan offers a piece of advice for all students who are beginning their journey of applying to universities.
"Think carefully about your priorities and make sure that what you are doing lines up with your priorities, not other people's priorities for you, not what you think you're supposed to do, but what is actually going to help you do what you want to do." - Ms. Raegan Stanley