Over the past few weeks, you would have received acceptances to various colleges across the world. The quintessential college experience, memorialised in film, literature, and public memory, lies before you for you to partake in first-hand. It is natural that you would want to extract the most value out of this journey, but where do you start? I was in conversation with Ms. Vyju Manian, Associate Director of the International Student Advisory at Columbia University, to answer a few commonly asked questions from aspiring students.
What does the college experience look like?
As an undergraduate student, you will typically have 4 years of study, divided into 8 semesters. Creating a four-year career plan is an excellent way to conceptualise the break-up of your time and priorities.
The first year, known as the Freshman year in the US, is when you would explore your subjects and choice of major. This involves ample introspection that will help you establish the connections between what you like to do and what you are good at, effectively identifying an intersection of interests and skills. Since your major will often be a gateway into your career, you will need to choose wisely. Study the scope for jobs and the associated pay by all means but also ask yourself whether this is something you can commit to in the long run. This is also the right time to begin working on your resume. You will need to set up a framework for your resume. This will gradually be fleshed out as you progress through your degree.
The second (or Sophomore) year is when you will declare your major. You will also have the opportunity to pursue a summer internship in the field of your choosing, building key interview skills in the process. This may very well be your first internship, and you will begin to explore possible career pathways as you weigh your options.
The following school year is when things begin to get serious; you will begin to think ahead, researching your plans after graduation. Do you want to attend graduate school, embark on a short diploma or vocational training course, or enter the professional world? Ideally, you will begin to coordinate resources, network, and lay the foundation to facilitate these goals.
The final year is a decisive one. You will either apply for higher studies, or enter a full-time role that aligns with your field of interest. At this point, you will be equipped with ample knowledge and experience to confidently enter the “real world”.
If you are a postgraduate student, your course would normally be a 1- or 2-year commitment. Depending on the duration and intensity of the degree, the first half will be dedicated to building the methodology for research and revisiting the foundations while exploring your chosen core and optional modules. The second half will usually involve a student/professional project, internship, or final dissertation in addition to the advanced coursework.