Jessica Kelly | Staff Writer
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iFqPDQncNWY]
Many students find themselves drowning in countless booklets, pamphlets, brochures and letters from colleges, a collection of papers so extensive that the college search seems impossible to even start. However, each school offers a wide range of opportunities unique to itself; so the search for a college is really just a matter of matching the correct students to the correct education opportunities.
With plenty of options available on the local, national or even global level, the importance of campus visits becomes apparent. Christian Larbi, a sophomore majoring in Human Resources at IUPUI, stresses the impact that tours had on his decision-making process.
“It wasn’t so much about questions; it was about feeling,” Larbi said. “For me, it [the campus] was really close to home and pretty, you know? And it was really high-quality for the cost.”
Cost is a major point of concern for many students when selecting how to further their education. Finding a university with abundant but affordable options and resources can be a daunting task. But despite this struggle, there are such colleges, Larbi was able to find a way to get involved on-campus that allowed him to interact with incoming students and exhibit the leadership skills necessary for a Human Resources major.
“I’m on O-team, and what we get to do is a lot of orientation work basically,” Larbi said. “So transfer students, and students coming from different campuses, I help them get registered for classes and get used to it here on campus.”
By being aware of his options, Larbi can enrich his own education through real-world experience. Not only does he have an advantageous position on-campus, but Larbi is able to access resources to observe his major in action in Indianapolis.
“I also had to do a lot of job shadowing, because downtown is only a couple of blocks away from here, and a lot of Fortune 500 companies have headquarters here,” he said.
Larbi emphasizes the practicality of job shadowing and explains that the opportunities he has found have enriched his education. By providing a glimpse into the application of his studies, the experiences Larbi has had clarified the path he wants to take in the future.
“It gives me a better understanding of my major and myself, because I kind of see myself as a leader, so seeing other people going through leadership and decisions, and seeing how that breaks down makes me a better leader and a better student.”
Although the search for a college or university can be taxing and overwhelming, the opportunities and experiences students gain will allow their futures to become clearer to themselves. According to Larbi, college is about finding oneself as much as it is about getting an education. With this in mind, students may be able to explore themselves as they explore their options and find the right school for them.
Click on the link below to hear more about finding the right fit when it comes to College:
Collaborators: Maddie Weeks, Abigail Edminster and Jessica Kelly
