College Readiness-Figuring out what school to go to!

AHHHHH some of us have been there, some are there now, and more will be there soon. The question EVERYONE seems to ask (even if they don't know you) when you are a senior; "What college are you going to?" Its not that you haven't thought about it, you have. It takes up most of your day and slips into your brain when you are trying to sleep. You have tried to decide but you are just not sure. Maybe you don't know where to even start in your decision process. Do you want to stay home and go to USU or do you want to be out of the house? In State or Out of State? How will I pay? What do I want in a school? Do I need/want my college experience to have college football/basketball (fill in sport)? Do I need to my degree to be from a top University? Will I make more money or get a job faster if it is? What are the best schools for the degree I want to go into? I don't even KNOW what DEGREE I want to go into!!!! I know it can be overwhelming, that is why I am here to give you some advice and hopefully help you on this life changing journey.

First take a deep breath and count to five then exhale. We don't want you to loose consciousness!

Ok you feeling good now? K, lets head over to  Utah Futures webpage.  Login so you can save all your information that you are going to find. Go all the way down to the bottom where it says "Find Training Programs and Education" Click on it.

Now it drops down a menu this menu is awesome it has links to A LOT of scholarships (which we will talk about another day) Today lets look at the three other options

1. Programs of Study
2. State Schools
3. Schools Sort

Programs of study- click on this one if you know what program you are wanting to study in college.
This link will talk to you about the degree and what type of schools will give you access to concerning this degree. It also gives you info on program admission, typical course work and things you should know about that program, as well as other resources that they can connect you to. 

It will then show you different schools that offer this program.  Look to the left. Do you see it?
It says "State Schools" if you want to stay local or "US Colleges and Universities" From there you pick a state and it will give you Colleges and Universities that have that program and more information about those schools.

State Schools- Click this one if you are wanting to stay in Utah. In here it gives you different types of schools that are here in Utah. Look at them all if you are not sure if you want or need to go to University or College for what you are wanting to do in life. From there it gives you a list of schools in Utah click on them to find out more information.

Schools Sort-Here you will click on Undergraduate Schools since you are now working on you Bachelors Degree VS. Masters. School Sort uses your preferences to find schools that interest you. It is an exploratory tool that can be used more than once to create lists based on different criteria.

• Select the criteria that are important to you. It is not necessary to answer every item.
• Click on Get My Results at any time to view a list of schools.
• Change your criteria to modify your list.
• Organize your list and research the schools that interest you.

Once you pick a school you want to look at go to the left hand side and it will give you all the information you would EVER need in the school. I suggest writing down in your college portfolio the information that is important for you to remember.....application deadlines, GPA and ACT Requirements, Tuition cost (full year or by semester) ect. 

This is a great one to go through, they will bring up questions that you may not have thought of. As you answer them really think honestly about what you are wanting in a school. This is going to be a BIG part of you life for a good amount of time and you want to enjoy it to the fullest!

Alright now that we have looked at Utah Futures, lets talk about some things you do want to think about when you are deciding which school to go to. (MAN I feel like I am writing a NOVEL. You get 5 brownie points for sticking with me)

HERE is a great list of things to think about when choosing a school that is just right for you.

College Fairs
Go to College fairs are a great way to learn about schools you are interested in and even find out about schools you may not have considered. To find college fairs sponsored by schools in your area, talk to your school counselor.

Visit Schools

You can read a school's brochures, take online virtual tours, and live chat with current students, but the best way to know if a school is right for you is to visit it. You can learn a lot on a campus visit that you can't get from a brochure. A visit to the school itself is a helpful way to see if it will meet your needs, whether it's a 4-year university or a school offering short-term programs.

I know this was a lot to take in and such a long post, but these are things you should/need to be thinking about. If you have questions leave a comment I would love to help you out. Check out these great links they can really help you decide what you want out of post secondary education. Talk with ya soon! Happy College and Career Planning!!!!