Essay Sample on College Choice: A Symbolic Figure in Career Development

Students consider several factors concerning their choices for college career development. The choice of a particular college under several instances influences the student on what to undertake. Other factors such cost, academic reputations of the college, expectation, and parental involvement majorly influences student choices. Therefore, school is symbolic figure and represents all the factors a student will look up to before making a career choice (Curry, and Milsom 6). The decision relies on the college since the school justifies various identified factors in a career path. College presents a wide range of spectrum to consider before undertaking a course of choice. Students and parents have the collective bargaining power to make choices regarding a college and career. As from the case extract;

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Karen is awarded a scholarship to a state university that will fully cover her tuition. Her parents urge her to go there. She also applies to a costly private college and finds out that she has been given a scholarship that will cover her tuition and fees. The cost of living will be higher at the private school, and there is a required meal plan for first-year students. However, she would have to pay fees, and room, and board at the state school as well. After her family calculates the annual difference in cost, it comes to $900. For the difference in class size, program offerings, faculty mentoring, and institutional reputation, Karen decides the $900 per year is well worth it to accept admission at the private college. In this example, Karen's values and her estimation of the difference in cost and the benefits from each school were weighed in making an informed decision. In terms of knowledge of academics, students should be aware of the types of programs offered at specific schools, whether or not programs are accredited, and whether or not credit is transferrable to other institutions (Curry, and Milsom 7).

The cases Karen is awarded a scholarship at the States University, and private college rely on the difference exhibited from program offered class size, and institutional reputation. Therefore, college acts as the primary consideration depending on the several factors that come before. Evaluation of a career path usually happens after several offers for a particular career (Curry, and Milsom 8). Do students need to make career decision in high school? This is one of the provocative questions that arise in such circumstance student evaluates college career at the point he/she is awarded a scholarship. The case of Karen's career path presents choices after high school education and not at the course of her high school life. High school grades in many instances, affect career choices and college choice. Deciding between the states university and the private college rely on the high school grades. In several cases, students may wish to undertake specific course in particular colleges, but the qualification does not match the requirements.

Work Cited

Curry, Jennifer R., and Amy Milsom. Career And College Readiness Counseling In P-12 Schools. 2nd ed., Springer Publishing Company, 2017, pp. 6-8.