As a college admissions counselor at a private liberal arts school, every time I met with a student I would ask, “What are you planning on studying?” Believe it or not, my favorite answer was a simple “I don’t know.” In my response I would congratulate them for being brave enough to answer that way. After all, deciding on what you want to do for the rest of your life should not be taken lightly.
Choosing the right college begins with choosing the right career path. And that is where we can help! We will discuss a few tips for each of these in this blog, but first a quick disclaimer…
When we say “right” college or career, we are not saying there is only one career and college path out there for each person. Rather, we believe there are multiple good college options and career paths that can lead someone into a fulfilling life. It’s just a matter of finding the “right” one(s).
Choosing the Right Career
- Take a self-inventory
We encourage you to take a self-inventory by reflecting on various aspects of who you are or even taking a few assessments. (These are the types of sessions we do with clients, so if you enjoy the self-inventory but are looking for more, we’d love to walk you through our process!) Here are a few questions you can ask:
- Values: What is important to me?
- Personality: How am I wired?
- Interests: What do I like?
- Strengths: What am I naturally good at?
- Skills: What skill have I learned from my experiences?
- Environment: What do I need to thrive?
* Pro tip: If you can identify a career that aligns with answers to all of your questions above, we call that your “sweet spot”.
2. Talk to trusted people
After answering the questions above yourself, it’s helpful to ask for input from trusted people in your life who know you well. You can ask them similar questions above, or you can get straight to the point and ask, “What type of work do you see me doing?” Some of their answers may be great content for college and job interviews, so tuck that away in your memory bank!
3. Research jobs
Another way to identify your career path is to research jobs you’re interested in to learn more about them and make sure they’d actually be a good fit. Here are a few ideas for conducting research:
- Job shadow someone and be a “fly on the wall” as they go throughout their work day.
- Set up an informational interview with someone in that job and ask them any and all questions about their work. (What does your day-to-day look like? What is your favorite part of your job? Least favorite part? Why did you choose your career?)
- Browse the internet by searching job sites like onetonline.org or watching YouTube videos of someone showing you a “day in the life of _____”.
Choosing the Right College
Once you’ve identified your career path, then you can move on to identifying the right college path. There is no “one size fits all” for college, so here is a list of questions to consider as you’re researching different schools:
- What kind of schooling do I need to do the type of job I want – 2-year college, 4-year college, or more? Or does my job require another type of training program like the police academy or trade certification?
- Depending on the type of schooling, what major and possibly minor(s) should I declare to get the type of degree I need? (For example, being “pre-med” because you want to go to medical school is NOT a major. You would need to major in biology, chemistry, or some other science-focused field to obtain all of the requirements for medical school This is where an academic advisor can help you determine your major.)
- What type of college environment do I prefer?
- Enrollment size?
- Urban, suburban, or rural?
- Private or public?
- On & off campus opportunities?
4.Since college is a financial investment, how will I be paying for college?
- What type of scholarships does the school offer?
- What about outside scholarships and grants from both public and private sources?
- Does my family have any funds for college set aside for me?
- What other options do I want to explore (i.e. loans, working during college, etc.)?
Finally, once you’ve narrowed down a handful of schools you’re interested in, it’s wise to tour the schools and get a feel for it yourself. Once you’ve toured, asked your questions to the admissions team, and of course gotten accepted, then it’s time to make your decision!
Choosing the right career and college can be overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it alone. The Know You Project has specifically designed sessions that walk you through this process of career and college identification. Hopefully this article gives you a good starting place. If you want more, reach out to us and schedule an in-take call!
We strive to equip clients with the knowledge, support, and customized tools needed to gain forward momentum. 
