WKU News

"So, why do you want to go to college?"  Easy question, right?  Most responses include items such as "to expand education, to enhance career and/or to increase salary."  Now, stop and really think about it. WHY do YOU want to go to college? 

Here are some important items to consider:

1. LOOK WITHIN

While you might not immediately know the specific career you want to pursue, a good place to start is by gathering a thorough picture of your interests.  Established career interest inventories are an excellent resource.  Be sure to save all of your results to look for patterns and themes.  An excellent place to start is with WKU's Center for Career and Professional Development's resources click here.

2. DO YOUR RESEARCH

Once you've determined your main areas of interest, begin researching into careers associated with that area.  It is especially important to ask questions such as:  What career options would you have with that major?  Would you need to relocate to a large city?  Is additional education required?  What is the starting salary range for that position?  How in demand is this career field?

These are the questions to be asking yourself now in order to be as prepared as possible.  Having realistic expectations not only of the required educational and financial investments but also for your potential future livelihood are critical.

3. TRY IT ON FOR SIZE

Look for as many first-hand opportunities in or around your chosen career field to learn more about the environment itself.  For example, if you are interested in nursing, consider working part-time in a medical office answering phones or scheduling appointments just to learn more.  Take advantage of any job-shadowing experiences that you can and consider volunteering in that field when possible.  The more you can see firsthand, the more educated you will be when it comes to your major/career field.

This content has been provided from WKU Learn and Earn Scholarship Program.  The WKU Learn and Earn Scholarship Program partners with area companies and businesses to employ both traditional and non-traditional college students thus helping meet their company production goals. In return, those students work for wages and receive college scholarships from their employers as well.  For more information, go to www.wku.edu/learnandearn.

More than 20,000 students grace WKU’s four campus locations in Bowling Green, Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, Glasgow, and Owensboro. For more than 50 years, WKU has offered courses beyond the Bowling Green campus at regional locations. WKU serves students at three regional campuses in Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, Glasgow and Owensboro. Two of the principal goals for WKU’s Regional Campuses are to provide access to higher education and to improve the quality of life in the communities they serve.