Prepare for college part 5
If you ask high school students: “Why do you go to college?” Most of the answers would be: “To get a degree.” Or “My parents want me to go to college.” Some students believe with a college degree, they can have a job, so getting a degree is the priority. The fact is a degree does not guarantee a job anymore. To get a job, students must have the high demand knowledge and skills in the industry.
If you ask high school students “Do you know what knowledge and skills that you need?” Most of the answer would be: “I do not know.” Or “I will think about it later.” The reason is most high school students DO NOT KNOW HOW to plan their career and therefore, NOT READY for college. Of course, students do not agree with me; they believe that if they pass the college entrance exam, they are readied for college. The fact is to get accepted to a college is one thing, but be ready to do well in college is another issue.
From a perspective of college readiness, what do high school students need to prepare for success in college? Following are some advice, I often give to high school students before they enter college:
If you wait until college to plan your career, then it is too late. Students should plan their career as early as possible, so they know what they want, what skills they need, and select the field of study accordingly. Career planning should be based on your personal interests, and the skills that you have AND the practical aspect of the job market in your country. You should plan for a career that allows you to advance for the next 5, 10, 20 years of your working life. A career should NEVER end once you get a job, but it is a life-long effort.
If you think a college study is like high school, then you are making a mistake. Even you do well in high school does not guarantee that you will do well in college. There is a difference between high school and college, and you must be prepared to be an independent learner, rather wait for someone tell you what to do. An independent learner is someone who knows about their studying requirements, plans their study efficiently, and assumes more personal responsibilities.
If you only study “just enough” to pass tests, then you will have difficulty in college because there are much more to learn and they can overwhelm you. Many top high school students have difficulty in their first year in college because they never developed a good study habit that involved spending a lot of hours for reading, reviewing, and learning. The standard rule is: “For every hour in class, you need to spend at least two hours of independent studying and one hour study with your friends.”
If you do not have a good reading habit, then you will not be successful in college because there are a lot of readings, besides the textbooks, you need to read reference materials and assigned readings every week. Without a good reading habit, you will not be able to complete all the required reading. College reading can be overwhelming with the massive amount of information that comes in every class. Students need good reading skills to be able to read through all kind of information from many sources. If you like to put off your studying until the last minute, you will not be able to cram that much information in your head. Good study habits come from pacing yourself by studying each day, rather than cramming before the exam.
Today, technology is in every field and impact everything. It is important for students to develop some computing skills, regardless what field of study that you choose. Having better technical skills will lead to a more successful educational experience, as well as more career opportunities. Today every career requires computing technology. The more you know, the more valuable your skills are to future employers. Before going to college, make sure that you learn some computing skills.
Sources
- Blogs of Prof. John Vu, Carnegie Mellon University
