Looking Forward—Summer and “The Future”

Looking Forward—Summer and “The Future”

So, what do you want to be when you grow up?

If you haven’t asked yourself this question yet … why not?

And if you don’t know … why are you applying to college?

OK, it’s true that college is itself a great time to explore your interests and learn more about various careers. But it’s also a very expensive undertaking to approach in a less-than-focused way. It’s not impossible to switch out of pre-med when you change your mind, but you might find that your school doesn’t actually have a great program in the area you realize you’re called to. And how many pre-med credits will you already have paid for when you make the switch? You don’t want to be in a position of taking more than four years to graduate with one major because you switched goals midway through—let alone if you apply to a specific school like an engineering school … and then realize engineering isn’t really your thing. You try on clothes before you buy them, and they’re not going to last you four years, let alone the rest of your life.

So what are you doing to learn more about careers of interest? Television shows can make almost any field look glamorous, so make a point of seeing what those lives look like in reality. Have you read a memoir by a person in a field that interests you? Do you know anyone in the field who can tell you about it or allow you to shadow them for a day or even longer? Now is a great time to be thinking ahead to summer—can you apply for any kind of internship or research program? These opportunities tend to be highly competitive, making them a great way to learn about a field, a great growth experience, AND a major gold star for your applications. If you can’t find any formal program, at least seek out volunteer opportunities that might help you make connections or develop more awareness about a field—whether that’s assistant coaching a kids’ sports team because you’re interested in sports management, or handing out programs at the community theater because you hope to head to Broadway.

You might still change your mind in the future. But if you don’t have a plan in mind, you won’t know which way to head now. If you want to be a doctor, you have to think about the best undergraduate majors and the best schools to get you into medical school—which may or may not be simply the most popular names. If you’re thinking of a long-term career goal like being a judge, a surgeon, or a U.S. senator, what will be the best steps to get there?

And the cherry on top of this exploration is the amazing potential for essay topics.  A research experience or longer-term internship provide growth potential, whether or not you end up going into the field. At the very least, several supplemental essays ask really directly, “How do you know you’re interested in this field? In what ways have you explored it?” You’ll be glad you have an answer.

(Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash)