#collegeprocess

Upon reaching a pivotal point in your life, whether it is an ending or a beginning, it is inevitable to start grappling with the big questions that will steer the course of your life. Some of these questions may include: Where am I now? Where am I going? What do I want to do with my life? How will I achieve it? These kinds of questions require no small amount of introspection, but, once decided, can ultimately spell the difference between a life that is filled with routines and half-hearted passions and a life that is filled with adventure, promise and satisfaction.

Sounds pretty heavy, doesn’t it? Where do you even begin sorting through your childhood dreams and fitting them into the enigma of tomorrow, filled with research papers and grades and whatever else reality decides to dump on your to-do list? The days of playing pretend and dress-up where all you needed were a fake stethoscope and a white dress to make you a certified doctor are over. Well, I found the answer to this as I was leafing through the brochures inside the guidance office.

College.

The next rite of passage on the bucket list of my life.  Now, before junior year, I had assumed I would be going to one of the big four—namely UP, Ateneo, La Salle or UST—as my sister did before me and practically everyone else I knew. However, as fate would have it, an idea began to slowly plant itself in my head, being nourished by the cold, dry, foreign air I first breathed in England while on a summer program. Why not try going to college abroad?

That was the dream. Now all that was left was for me to do was to follow it. Because the whole process was one very long, exhilarating ride, I’ve decided to illustrate a step-by-step guide on how exactly I got from Point A to Point B (and everything in between), slowly but surely reaching my goals one step at a time. 

Researching is (arguably) fun for you The bane of my existence, how do you confound me so? I know many people would nod/shout/tweet (if that’s your thing) in solidarity with me as I say that research is hard. High school did not warm me to the beauty that is Google (though Wiki Answers continues to be one of my most visited pages) but college searching definitely did. Who knew you needed to know so much statistics like SAT range and Acceptance rate? The local schools definitely didn’t need it. However, since I didn’t have the home field advantage, I had no choice but to do the work and gather the information I would need. It turned out to be a lot of fun, cruising through the different schools that gave financial aid to international students like a shopping catalogue and having eight different tabs with eight different schools, all on their admissions page, comparing rates and requirements and advantages/disadvantages. This was crucial, as my school didn’t necessarily prioritize students applying abroad. The first time I heard of the SAT was through the College Board website, which I had Googled after seeing it mentioned in College Confidential (a forum that helps incoming college students learn more about their prospective schools).

You are networking (and/or making friends) that share the same goal It was through my research that I stumbled across the College Admission Mentors for Peers in the Philippines, a student-run organization that helps Filipino students with their application process. CAMP has done a lot of wonders in helping me fill the gaps in my understanding of college abroad, mostly because they themselves are Filipino students who are now studying in other countries. Their advice and patience have been endless, and through them I was able to meet people who also share/have shared the same dreams that I do. Personally, I think it’s vital to reaffirm your dreams by talking to people who have already achieved it, listening to their feelings and new set of problems/challenges they must face. It helps you understand that there is a difference between dreams and reality, and merging them together can give you all the happiness in the world or it can slap you in the face with crushing disappointment (or both, there’s always that option). Either way, hearing it first-hand from them has strengthened my resolve and simultaneously sobered me from my unrealistic fantasies of what living my dream would be like. Another benefit is making friends. During my junior year, I became close to two classmates who also wanted to apply abroad because we could share our dreams and experiences. We understand each other in a way others don’t, and it helped me feel less alone about my struggles, especially since most of my classmates don’t even know what the SAT is. Forming a support system is not only very cathartic but can also gain you friends that can last for a long time, as you all look towards the same future with unbridled hope and fear. It’s nice to have a hand to hold (or a phone to call if you’re not into the touchy-feely stuff) to help you through your weak moments and to share your successes.

You are making new memories Well, technically, you make new memories all the time. But it’s different in a way, because these aren’t the same as when you go out with your friends or go to prom, like the memories everyone else will make. These are your memories of the things you did in order to fulfill your dreams. One memory that comes to mind is the day I took my SAT. A friend of mine whom I had grown distant to because of her transferring of schools asked if she could share a ride with me, as the distance to the testing center was pretty far. With the long car ride ahead of us, we were able to reconnect and catch up on what’s been going on with our lives. I was also reunited with a few more friends once we got to the testing site, and met new ones along the way. The whole experience was terrifying and amazing, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Another memory was when I went to Makati to visit the EducationUSA center there. They are a good source for information on college abroad, and I got to hear speakers who’re from Ohio, New York, etc. I don’t normally go to far places without my parents watching my back, so it was pretty exciting to do something that was only for me. The same goes with the CAMP talk I got to attend in UP, where they gave comprehensive talks on the different aspects of the Common Application, and I got to meet a lot of people from different schools. It was inspiring to hear their stories and see their personalities, because in a way it was already broadening the small world I used to live in and extending to make space for new people and new experiences, which was exactly what I wanted.

You are confused about 70% of the time (and then you’re not) The pros and cons list is officially my new best friend. I make them all the time. To some this may be a sign of second-guessing my dreams, and you’d be right. Is this really what I want? To be separated from my family about three fourths of the year? To barely see my old friends from high school and increase the chances of losing touch with them? Really? I think about these questions all the time. But instead of losing sight of my dreams, it strengthened my resolve. I guess you can compare it to a test of faith. How do you know how strong your faith is if you don’t question it? Besides, I’d rather think about it now than ignore my fears only to realize later on that this wasn’t what I wanted after all. In a way it’s like making your dream foolproof against any attacks, thickening the walls that encase it so that if anyone does try to attack, your dream would be protected in a safe, sure part inside of you that can only come from having already overcoming the fears and uncertainties to know that no matter what, even if you do end up failing or if it doesn’t turn out the way you want it to, there will be no regrets.

You learn about sacrificing—for yourself Many of us are familiar with sacrifice—but usually in the context of other people. While this is the most visible kind of sacrifice, there are also the ones that you make for yourself. In Economics, the term for it would be opportunity cost, or the cost of doing something and thus foregoing all other options. This happens all the time, every time we make a decision. By doing something, anything, we keep ourselves from doing something else, and so we don’t get to enjoy the benefits of any of the other options. Going abroad isn’t for everyone. If you get homesick too easily, or if your family can’t handle it, then it might be best not to go. If you think you’re not ready to handle it, or you know you don’t cope well in a new environment with new people, then maybe you shouldn’t go. Letting go of a dream because of the limitations set by reality can be painful, but it’s always important to decide whether or not what you’re gaining will be worth the price of what you’re letting go. Similarly, people who decide to go abroad will also experience letting go. I understand that I won’t see my family very often, and I won’t have time for my friends because of the time difference. I’ll miss family gatherings and dinners, “barkada” blowouts and the simple sense of belonging, hearing the familiar slang of the Filipinos enveloping me like a security blanket. I’ll have to live with these, the could-have beens, as everyone before me has done and everyone after me will do. I also learned about toeing the line of selfishness and selflessness, about the things I have to do for myself and the price that not only I will have to pay but everyone else around me, my family and my friends. Which one do I prioritize? How do I know the right thing for me to do? These are questions I still can’t answer and probably won’t be able to until I’ve sealed the deal, and in the end I can only trust myself to do what I think is best, and hope that it’ll be enough to carry me through.

Even if your life hasn’t really changed yet, you have   By actively taking control of your life, you start to change. I know I did. I became more driven, more purposeful, more hopeful about what life has to offer me and what I can offer it. I became more satisfied as I saw visible results that I worked hard to get. I became more animated as I spoke about my dreams and passions, what I dreamed of when I closed my eyes and became less concerned about what other people would think of me. I learned how to start conversations in person and on Facebook, how to be polite and concise while still being casual, adding a smiley here and there for effect. I learned to wonder, to dream, to think, to question, to doubt, to accept. Through all this, I got to know someone I didn’t really pay much attention to before but learned to understand and love all the same—me. 

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If you're having doubts about applying to a liberal arts college, or if you think that your intended major won't be able to yield a successful career, you might want to check this website out and think again. Also make sure to take note that for U.S. liberal arts colleges, you usually don't have to declare your major until the second semester of your sophomore year, giving you ample time to not only explore different fields of study but also decide which field you want to concentrate on for the rest of your college career.

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As such, here are some of my personal tips to avoid “overshooting” and approaching the college application process efficiently:

Expand your college search. The U.S. has thousands of colleges and universities that are not limited to Ivy League and U.C. schools. Britain has more than Cambridge and Oxford. Read up on as many different schools as you can. Your priorities for a "dream school" just might change in the process.

Choose your colleges based on how well they fit YOU, not just based on their name. Trust me on this one. I'd never heard of Hamilton College before I started looking up colleges, but I'm really glad that I chose this school because it was the perfect fit for my personality and academic needs. Higher education is going to take up four years of your life, give or take, and you'll want to spend them somewhere that you will love.

Don't apply to more than ten schools. This is the part where researching schools is important. There are thousands of possible schools to apply to, and their websites just make each institution seem like the perfect place. Look beyond their websites and read college reviews and forum posts to find which schools are a perfect fit, and then keep trimming your list until you get to ten schools or less.

"Reaches," "Targets," and "Safeties." You can divide your list of ten schools into "reach," "target," and "safety" schools. Reach schools are the most selective schools with admissions rates that fall under 20 percent. You should apply to at least one of these, but no more than three. Target schools should realistically take up most of your list. These are schools wherein you academically fit in terms of your GPA and standardized test scores. I would also recommend having one to three safety schools wherein you feel like you would be a "shoo-in" for admission. If you're applying for financial aid as an international student, you can obviously play around with these proportions as you see fit.

Read the supplements. On a more practical note, check out the supplemental requirements of each college on your list when the Common Application comes online. Be realistic about the amount of time that your college applications will take up and make sure that you have enough time to finish each application to the best of your ability. With this in mind, applying to four schools that have three supplemental essays each might not be the best idea.

The whole college application process is just that: a process, the aim of which is to gain admission to an institution where you will learn and thrive for the next few years of your life. If you need help choosing colleges, narrowing down your list, or getting a reality check, shoot me an email. I won't bite.  Good luck!

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A misconception regarding design schools is that it is equal to a trade or fine art school. I do not want to discourage application to the latter but there is a significant difference between them. Design schools apply the principles of fine arts to the requirements of trade and manufacture. You learn the base principles of fine arts and learn how to apply them to the working world. It is true that you gain a clear expertise in specific fields but the education you receive from design schools go far beyond pure practical training. You also gain a well-rounded education that is flexible and comprehensive. 

Is there money and jobs after design school? As hard as it is to believe, this question exists. Being a Chinese-Filipino, it was a tough decision for me to apply to a design school because I was made to believe there would be no job opportunities after. This has some merit if you compare job opportunities after a diploma from ivy leagues. However, research has shown us that designers have a much higher job satisfaction than most. There is nothing better than enjoying your job, which inherently leads to success. 

Design school personally taught me a vast amount of skills that I was able to transfer to the work force, the most important of which was being able to properly create a style and a brand. I also learned how to problem solve and think conceptually, which enables me to create systems and ideas. From those invaluable lessons, I was able to open a successful restaurant, a business, a gallery, and my photographs have received international accolades. Like all those large companies I mentioned earlier, I believe that design is the core. Design and business are not two separate things but are directly correlated. 

Liberal art schools may also teach you how to be problem solvers and conceptual thinkers but design schools use that as a base and go further. Design schools teach you how to make and create, which is timelessly and universally important.  They teach you how to produce products instead of just gathering resources and distributing them accordingly. Being able to physically create things is one of the most important skills I have taken from design school. 

Another misconception about design is that everything can be self-taught. I can attest to this because my skills in photography and graphic design were gained through the internet, youtube and books. We cannot underestimate self-education but just how far can this type of education take you? I was never able to learn the basic principles of design. It is not something you can read or watch, it needs to be experienced. 

To add to the quality of the education you are receiving, design schools immerse you with students who have the same passion as you do. The discussions you participate while in college are irreplaceable. You learn from your peers as much as you learn from your teachers.

I can easily go on and on but I think I was able to get my message across. If you have the talent or you believe in design then don’t be afraid to apply to design schools. Take the leap of faith. Design schools are unique, that offer an education and skill sets that are unattainable in others.  

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