Is college the best fit for me?

For some, earning a four-year degree is necessary to gain employment in your career of choice. For others, however, a trade school or some form of higher education is a better path to help you accomplish your career goals.

So how do you know which path is best for you? Ask yourself these questions, then weigh the pros and cons of each. In the end, hopefully you'll have a clearer vision towards your path to success.

1. Academic goals

• Am I willing (and able) to spend at least four years of hard work and financial commitment to earning my degree?
• Will a college degree help me advance in my career?
• Does my career of choice require a degree, a certification, a license, or training?

2. Career Type

• Have I spent time researching types of careers I might be interested?
• What type of academic path do I need in order to pursue my career goals?
• Have I set up informational interviews with people currently working in the field(s) I am interested in?
• Have I conducted web searches on career and higher education opportunities? (UAC recommends visiting the Department of Education's website- it's loaded with resources!)
• Have I visited my school's College and Career center for additional information?
• Have I applied for internships to learn and explore my various field(s) of interest?

3. Lifestyle

• Do I really want to go to college? Does it fit with my lifestyle?
• Am I a traditional classroom student?
• Do I work better in an online classroom environment?
• Am I a hands-on learner?
• Would I prefer a short program focused only on my career field?
• Would I prefer a longer program where I learn various academic interests with a concentration on my career field?