College Myths: BUSTED!
If you’re reading this article, I’d say it’s pretty likely that you or your loved one is looking into colleges. Going to college can be a pretty tricky thing no matter how well versed you are of the facts. People question what is right for them to do when they’re in high school, asking questions like, “How can I pay for college? How can I make the grades for college? Would I be able to survive my years there?” You don’t need a team of scientists to find out whether or not you can fit into university, community college or the like. It takes time and consideration. However, some college misconceptions need to be noted before jumping to the conclusion of whether you can attend a college or not.
College is only for Super Rich People
One thing I came to understand really quickly was that college, although it can be extremely expensive, is doable if you go about it right. I am the living proof of this. I was never a perfect student, and I started rather late for someone going to a school like Kent State University. I hadn’t even put in any applications until the month before I graduated. However, I found that through government aid and scholarships, plenty of my schooling was paid for. It was a lot more than I ever thought I could get.
I found out about my options through my counselor and online, and found that I could get financial aid from the government because of my financial situation. From there I filled out all my forms, tried for as many scholarships as I could and did my best throughout the rest of my school year. I can’t say that I didn’t have to withdraw some loans merely out of running out of time, but nevertheless, here I am in a wonderful school.
My parents had nothing to give towards my education, yet I am here. Therefore, before you cross college off your list because of your family situation, I would strongly suggest that you look into your situation. Everyone knows that college is both necessary most of the time and nearly impossible to pay off by yourself. Therefore if you take the time to look for help, you’ll find scholarships and grants if you look. It’s not like you’ll have to pay a fee if you opt out of college, so see how much you can receive, and try your best.
College is only for Super Intelligent People
Who knew that somebody like me could get into a well accredited school like Kent State University? I certainly didn’t think I could. However, I am so grateful that I took a step of faith by putting in an application. As a first generation i student, I couldn’t say if I was going to be ready for the homework or the studying until 4 in the morning. Compared to most of the students in my grade, I was just average. Sure, I was in the honors classes in nearly all of my classes, but I found the normal classes to be more challenging than my honors courses.
But, now that I’ve had two years of higher education under my belt, I can say that I had nothing to worry about, at least up until this point. Work in college is so much different compared to most high school courses. With an emphasis on understanding instead of gross memorization in most of my courses, I do rather well. Not nearly as much busy work compared to many of my days in my high school career. And therefore, you don’t have to be the type to study all night nor the person that just know things off the top of your heads to succeed. You don’t even have to be great at every subject.
Like many great Universities, Kent State has a great provision that they have for all students, which is tutoring in several different subjects. They have writing labs, counselors, and special services for students who have special needs. Whether you have a disablilty to something like test anxiety, they provide many services that truly help people make it through college in one piece. People there want you to succeed, because most tutors and helpers are students or were students once. They know your struggles and they want you to succeed like they have.
Therefore, if you’re thinking about higher education, and you’re unsure about your abilities, look into it. If you have some colleges in mind, take some time to see what services they provide. If there are specific things you can think of that you’d need to be provided, and then look for colleges that provide that. Or even talk to your counselor about your needs, or even a trusted adult or teacher.
College is for under-aged Drinkers
One of my biggest fears in college was the fear of not being able to handle the situations of college. Freedom does crazy things to people sometimes and we all know that people can see college as a money pit for partiers. I honestly was concerned that I wouldn’t fit in with the people around me. I couldn’t imagine how people would accept me for not being like them, like every college student was into that. Looking back I realize I had spent far too much time worrying about making friends.
Universities definitely have the reputation for parties, drinking, and new found freedoms. Though I can’t deny that plenty of Kent’s population and several other universities only have the parties in their plans when they apply, it’s not like that for several people. It’s not like the movies, college is expensive and most people take that very seriously.
Though there is nothing wrong with having a little fun, when people spend a majority of their time partying instead of taking time for classes, things fall apart quickly. It’s just hard to do everything. Most people realize that college costs far too much money to party all the time. Therefore, though there are fair shares of people who will flunk out by the first semester, most people are very serious about their work. Most students have been working all through high school to get to where they are at and so if you are concerned about going to college primarily because you don’t think it would be your scene, know that you won’t have to be into drinking or partying to make friends.
Most of the people I’ve met actually don’t meet up to those “party every night” stereotypes. Even the people that “party” only go a couple nights a month. So therefore, keep in mind that sometimes the media exaggerates the circumstances, especially concerning this area. In the end it is your choice who you hang out with and if you choose to follow this trend that isn’t as trendy as it may seem to be.
Myths Busted
Things are never as they truly seem when idealized as they are through the media, or even through friends and authority. Even I may have a completely different experience than you will. However, it is important to know that if you are really considering going to college you can. It may be harder to do than if you had unlimited resources or a wealth of book smarts, but college can be done for anyone who tries. Take pride in humble beginnings like I am learning to because it will be worth the hard work in the end. Anything that is worthwhile will take work, but be encouraged by knowing that you can do anything you put your mind to.
