Throughout high school, and possibly even well before, you are encouraged to start thinking about which path you will choose for college and your post-college career. While some students have known for years exactly where they want to go and what they want to be, some are completely unsure. The Patriot Press is here to offer some tips about choosing the perfect college for you.

First and foremost, you as a student have to figure out what you want. You have to know what you are looking forward to with a college experience, and what the ultimate goal of going to college is for you.

Knowing yourself and what you want is important not only for choosing the right college, but also during the college application process; in order to sell yourself to a college, you have to know your strengths, your wants, and your interests.

After you have explored your own interests, you have to see how well different colleges meet them. The most effective way to know whether or not a college is right for you is to visit the campus. In order to see if you’re going to fit in somewhere, you have to see it in person; go attend a class, sit in the cafeteria, and even stay overnight if you can. It is crucial when choosing a college to experience as much as you can before making your final decision.Another important thing to consider during high school and college is what career path to follow. The best way to figure out what field you want to go into is by having hands-on experience. Internships and jobs for high school students are available all over, and there are several programs for just about any career path. Having work experience will help you determine what you want to do or what you definitely do not want to do in terms of a career.

You have to explore your options to find what you are passionate about. The bottom line in all of this is: who are you as an individual? Once you can answer that question, your decisions about college and career paths will become much easier.