Colleges & Universities

COLLEGE MAJORS

Selecting a major does not mean you will limit the career choices available to you after graduation. Researching and choosing a major that you intrinsically enjoy, you are more likely to excel academically, you will be more motivated in the classes you take, and when it is time to start looking for a job or applying to graduate school you will be able to explain with enthusiasm why you chose your major. When choosing a major it is beneficial to understand your strengths and your interests. Consider taking one or more of the self-assessment instruments.

SELF ASSESSMENTS

• MyMajors.com

• Taking the Mystery out of Majors

MAJOR INFORMATION

• College Majors and Career Information

• Majors and Careers Central

These search engines to help students identify or narrow down their college lists based on specific school characteristics (campus size, surrounding area, student body, etc.).

• Naviance Family Connection

• Naviance Overview Presentation

• College Board's College Search

• Princeton Review

• Peterson's CollegeQuest

• College Prowler

• IPEDS College Search

• CollegeView Search

VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

• Tips for Visual and Performing Art Students

• The Association of Independent Colleges of Art and Design (35 well-known schools) has a website that includes majors and who offers them and the schedule of national portfolio days.

• Nat'l Assoc of Schools of Art Design - mostly general information and information about accreditation.

• Art School Program Directory -Searchable by state, region, specialty

• Careers in Art

• Careers in Music

• Film Schools

• Theater Schools

CULINARY SCHOOLS

• Le Cordon Bleu Schools

• AllCulinaryColleges.com

• Peterson's Culinary Schools

MILITARY ACADEMIES

• U.S. Air Force Academy

• U.S. Coast Guard Academy

• U.S. Military Academy West Point

• U.S. Naval Academy

TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS

• RWM Vocational Schools

• Vocational Information Center

• Vocational and Technical Schools Guide

• Trade and Vocational Schools.com

VISITING COLLEGES

College visits give students an opportunity to soak in the college atmosphere, sit in a class, check out the facilities, talk to other students, and much more. The sites below provide some suggested activities when you visit a campus.

• College Board

• College Visit Checklist

COLLEGE TOURS

Most colleges offer free tours for students and families interested in learning more about their schools. Please contact their undergraduate admissions or community relations offices for more information.

• Virtual College Tours

COLLEGE FAIRS

College fairs provide students with an opportunity to talk to many prospective colleges in location. These are great opportunities to talk with college representatives and ask more probing questions than what may be available from a viewbook or website. Please visit the websites below for navigating a fair and suggested questions.

• Faring Well at College Fairs

• Tips for Attending a College Fair

• College Fair Checklist

WHAT IS A GAP YEAR?

Maybe you're tired of the academic grind. Maybe you're not sure why you're going to college or what you'll do when you get there. Maybe you yearn to explore far-away places or a career that interests you. If this sounds like you, perhaps now is the time to consider taking a year off between high school and college. Taking time off before college gives you the gift of time to learn about two essential things: yourself and the world around you. But with research and planning, you can design a semester or year that is both a great learning experience and a lot of fun.

WHERE DO I START?

The essential component of successful time off is planning. There are plenty of resources for students, including books, Web sites, and your high school counselor (see below). At your school or public library, look through a guidebook or two on travel, internship, volunteer and other opportunities for high school students. What types of programs appeal to you? Once you have an idea of what opportunities are available, think about goals you should have for your time off. Do you want to travel abroad? Learn a new language or improve your foreign language skills? Help others, either at home or abroad? Explore career interests?

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS?

There are thousands of options for time off, as well as infinite combinations of activities. Some students participate in year-long programs. Others may combine two or more short-term programs, or plan a trip on their own or with friends. Here are some common ways to spend your time off:

TRAVEL

Many organizations offer programs with an emphasis on traveling or living abroad. Or, you may wish to plan your own adventure.

INTERNSHIPS

Spend some time working in a career field that interests you. If you enjoy it, you'll have even more incentive to succeed in your chosen college major. If it's not the field for you, you'll still have plenty of time to explore other career opportunities.

VOLUNTEER WORK

You can find volunteer programs both in the U.S. and all over the world. You could build houses, work with children, work on environmental projects, or a host of other activities.

ACADEMICS

Students who are not pleased with their high school records might consider a postgraduate (PG) year. The goal for a PG year is to strengthen your academic record in the hope of gaining entry to a better college.

WORK

Whether you find a job at home or away, a year of work can give you extra funds to pay for college, plus valuable, real-life experience.

WHAT ABOUT COLLEGE?

Once you've decided to take time off, it's tempting to chuck the whole college search until next year. But that's not a good idea, for a number of reasons. First, the college search and application process is much easier while you're still in high school. You have easy access to your school's college resources, your guidance counselor and teachers, and several modes of communication. You don't want to be filling out applications and trying to get counselor recommendations while you're working in the rainforests of South America. Second, having your college plans in place can go a long way toward convincing your parents that you will go back to school after your time off.

So go ahead and complete the college admission process. Then contact the college you plan to attend and ask that your admission be deferred for a semester or a year. All of this can make you even busier than your classmates senior year.

WHAT FACTORS SHOULD I CONSIDER?

Rynick lists these questions for students to consider when planning their time off:

• What do I want to learn?

• How much structure do I want or need?

• Where in the world do I want to be?

• What kinds of things do I want to do?

• What will I do when things get very difficult?

• What is my emergency plan?

Another big factor is your budget. Talk to your family about your plans and about what you can afford. Some programs cost very little; others can be very expensive. Don't forget to plan for living and travel expenses as well as program fees. Students on a limited budget could consider working full-time for a summer or semester to pay for a semester-long program later in the year. As you research and plan, don't limit yourself too much. T Don't expect it to be easy. Welcome the new challenges you encounter as you enter into the ongoing process of creating the life you want to lead. The real question of life is beyond college credit.

RESOURCES

• Design your own interim Year

• Where are you Headed?

• USA Gap Year Fairs