Wrapping Things Up

It seems like you’ve been preparing for college forever. . . and in a way you have. All of your life experiences have in one way or another been setting the stage for your entrance into the college spotlight. With decisions made, applications completed and deadlines met, it’s easy to be lulled into a false sense of completion. Spring of your senior year means finalizing your decisions and tying up the loose ends.

If you’ve taken Advanced Placement (AP) courses in high school, schedule and take the AP exam(s) to qualify for exemption from required courses at college. Make sure your final high school transcripts are forwarded to your chosen college; your counselor usually forwards your transcripts for you.

Finalize your living arrangements whether on-campus or off. If you’re planning on an off-campus apartment, you’ll need to locate a place that you, your roommate(s), and your parents are all comfortable with. You’ll also want to consider whether a furnished or unfurnished apartment is best for you. Review your lease thoroughly to make sure you understand any stipulations that may be attached.

If you’ll be living in a dorm, which most freshmen are required to do, make sure you contact your assigned roommate prior to the beginning of school. It’s always a good idea to touch base with the person you’re going to be living with for the next nine months. Plus, you’ll want to make sure that you both don’t bring the same room furnishings – you probably don’t need two TVs or mini-fridges.

Make a list of things you’ll want to take with you to college. Your list should include personal hygiene items, bedding, medications, your computer and related equipment, school supplies (notebooks, pens, pencils, calendar), entertainment items (television, VCR, CD player, DVD) and an appropriate supply of clothes.

You should also discuss your personal finances with your parents before leaving for college. It’s a good idea to develop a monthly budget for the school year so you don’t find yourself in constant financial crisis. You may want to consider long- distance calling cards as a convenient tool to keep in touch with your parents from school.

Finalize your transportation to school. If you have your own car, make sure you have basic maintenance performed on your vehicle before heading off to college.

As you head down the homestretch toward graduation, there are still plenty of things to discuss and decisions to make. The best advice is to try to get as much accomplished before summer starts so you can enjoy your time off before classes begin.

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The Best of the Class

The student with the best academic record in each graduating class is awarded the title valedictorian. The competition is keen and the honored student usually gets to make a farewell speech at their graduation ceremony. Here are some former valedictorians you may recognize who have gone on to fame and fortune.

• Cindy Crawford, supermodel, 1984
• Jodie Foster, Academy Award winning actress, 1980
• Ben Stein, actor and Comedy Central host, 1970
• Harry Anderson, actor on Night Court, 1970
• Robert Byrd, U.S. Senator from West Virginia, 1934
• Kevin Spacey, Academy Award winning actor, 1977
• Johnny Bench, one of baseball’s greatest catchers, 1965
• Weird Al Yankovic, parody king, 1975
• Emmylou Harris, country music diva, 1965

These examples of valedictorians are the exception, not the rule. In Lives of Promise: What Becomes of High School Valedictorians, author Karen Arnold profiles valedictorians over a 14-year period and finds that most work in conventional careers as accountants, physicians, lawyers, engineers, nurses and teachers.

They tend to be extremely well rounded and successful people, both personally and professionally, however, they tend not to be devoted to a single area of interest in which they can put all their passions. While valedictorians may not change the world, they tend to run it and run it very well. What many of these high achievers found, as part of the maturing process, is that there are lots of ways to be intelligent, not just through academic and occupational success. Both genders within this study group value balance in their lives and none is obsessed about work.

Sounds like a good life philosophy for everyone else (in other words 99.9% of us) to follow as well.

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Choosing a Career

You’ve been asked the question since you were a young child. A relative or family friend would lean down and ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” At four or five years of age, your response may have been “a ballerina,” “a cowboy” or “ a teenage mutant ninja turtle.” Granted, there may be a few budding ballerinas or future ranch owners out there (good luck with the turtle thing!), but it just serves as an example of how your interests and goals change as you get older.

Choosing a career is one of the most important and difficult decisions you’ll ever have to make. For some it can be easy, for others it can be torturous.

Most of you probably fit into one of the following categories:

1. You’ve known what you want to do for quite some time.
2. You have too many interests/career options on your plate and need some fine-tuning in selecting a major
3. You are one of the truly undecided students

Don’t be alarmed if you don’t fit into the first category. Almost 80% of college freshmen, as indicated from application and survey data, suggest some level of uncertainty about their choice of majors. Many undecided incoming freshmen are admitted through the Division of Undergraduate Studies. While students can remain uncommitted to a major for up to two years, many students choose a major by the end of their first year.

Researching careers should be one of your top priorities. EducationPlanner.org, our award-winning college planning site, offers a comprehensive module devoted to career exploration. The ‘Discovering’ module can help you determine your innate interests and skills, which will help you choose possible careers. In addition, the ‘Discovering’ module has information on hundreds of careers, including salary data and education levels required for various careers. Check it out today.

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Career Highlight: Recreational Therapist

Recreational therapists design activities to help people with disabilities lead more fulfilling and independent lives. Using a variety of techniques, including arts and crafts, animals, sports, games, dance and movement, drama, music, and community outings, therapists improve and maintain the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of their clients. In addition, they help people with disabilities integrate into the community by teaching them how to use community resources.

In acute health care settings, such as hospitals and rehab centers, recreational therapists treat individuals with specific health conditions, collaborating with physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and physical and occupational therapists. In long-term and residential care facilities, they use leisure activities to improve and maintain their clients’ general health and well-being.

Recreational therapists assess clients using information from observations, medical records, standardized assessments, the medical staff, the clients and their families. Then they develop and carry out therapeutic interventions that are consistent with the clients’ needs and interests. They may instruct patients in relaxation techniques to reduce stress and tension, stretching and limbering exercises, proper body mechanics for participation in recreational activities, pacing and energy conservation techniques, and team activities. As they work, therapists observe and document a patient’s participation, reactions, and progress.

Most entry-level recreational therapists need a bachelor’s degree in therapeutic recreation, or in recreation with a concentration in therapeutic recreation. Salaries for recreational therapists range from $20,880 to $55,530.

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Check out our college and career planning website:
http://www.EducationPlanner.org/

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