KristinMcCarty's blog

Fortunately, life is full of surprises. Unfortunately, sometimes those surprises bring about situations you might not be prepared for. It is very easy to get your mind set on one school or one path after graduating high school. In our minds we create these wonderful circumstances that aren’t always realistic. I’m not trying to be a Debbie Downer. That’s not my objective. For some people college will be everything they ever dreamed. But, on the chance that things might not work out as planned, it is important to know what to do and what not to do.

There are so many choices when it comes to choosing where you will spend the next several years of your life, the task can seem daunting. The last three semesters of your high school life will be consumed with the details of when, where, what, how, who all related to colleges. Take a deep breathe. Remember, this decision needs to be practical but also the best decision for you. When researching colleges and trying to narrow your choices down, there are a few things you should be thinking about.

So you’ve decided to take that big step and move hundreds of miles away from home to a college out of your home state. This decision is likely frightening, exciting, and sad at the same time. I had also made this big step towards what I thought would be freedom just under a year ago. Through this process, I gained some valuable knowledge about how to prepare for out-of-state colleges which I now pass on to you.

Whether you’re going to a private university 3,000 miles from home or a local community college, taking that first step towards higher education can be exhilarating, frightening, and an overall roller coaster of emotion. College can be the path to independence and self-discovery for some students. For others, the pressure to perform well is intense and terrifying.