Transitioning from high school to college can be an exciting yet intimidating journey. While preparing for college is a massive step to joining the ‘real world’, becoming a full-fledged college student entails challenges and changes to your daily routine.

While what college program you choose is key to pursuing the life path you want, there are other matters you should be aware of. As you prepare for the next chapter of your journey, you should learn a few things to make your transition to adulthood much easier.

Take one step at a time

It’s essential to take things step by step so that you don’t get overwhelmed and experience culture shocks. Here are some ways you can prepare for college, a new chapter in your life.

Spend time learning about finances

As you prepare for college, it’s crucial to educate yourself on responsible money management to avoid living paycheck-to-paycheck or struggling to make ends meet when you become a working professional.

Why is financial management relevant to preparing for college? College students have more responsibilities, especially if they’re moving to another city for school or commuting daily to campus. You need to know how to budget your money so that you can pay for food, school projects, and other expenses without experiencing financial strain. This life skill will remain relevant even after you graduate from college. 

Apply for scholarships or grants

College can be expensive. Not only would you have to pay for tuition fees, but you would need to pay for school materials, food, transportation costs, and the like. Fortunately, you can lower your expenses if you prepare accordingly. 

Check if the college you’re applying to offers scholarships or grants. At CIIT Philippines, we believe that everyone is entitled to good quality education. That is why we offer various scholarship programs, including the Interweave Scholarship Program, Future CIITzen Scholarship Grant, and CIIT Financial Aid Program. Acceptance to any of these programs can make preparing for college a lot easier. 

Don’t get caught up with what you’re ‘supposed’ to be doing

Heading into college, you might have this mindset that you want to rush everything so you can venture into the real world and earn money. While becoming a part-time worker to earn extra cash is an option, it shouldn’t be your primary focus. 

College is about learning new things and meeting people who may impact your professional future. You will learn so many things about yourself, so you shouldn’t stress yourself out about what you ought to be doing. You should learn to trust the process and enjoy the journey. 

Step out of your comfort zone

As you’re preparing for college, you may be determined to focus on your career goals and academics. While there’s nothing wrong with aiming for excellence, you should loosen up and try to make the most of your college journey.

Don’t hesitate to step out of your comfort zone and take an elective class unrelated to your dream job. You can pursue a hobby or find a creative outlet that you enjoy. You can even try starting your own business to make extra money. College is about learning and the best time to start something new. You might even end up finding something you genuinely love doing!

Transitioning with the right school

Preparing for college is an exciting transition, and you will learn a lot about yourself along the way. If you want to surround yourself with a community of creators that can help you unlock the best version of yourself, consider enrolling at CIIT Philippines. 

We at CIIT Philippines are all about molding learners to become industry-ready. We have experienced industry practitioners as professors and instructors, ensuring you learn first-hand experience from people who are established leaders in their respective industries. Our facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art technology so our CIITzens get the best education possible. 

From Computer Science to Multimedia Arts, we offer some of the best college courses in the Philippines. Whether you want to work for a world-class company or try your hand at entrepreneurship in the Philippines, we can help you achieve your goals. 

Apart from offering world-class CIIT programs, we also ensure that access to our quality education is available to everyone. Our CIIT Online Admissions System (COAST) makes it easy for anyone to apply and check the application status. Check out our college programs and Senior High School programs to learn more while preparing for college.