The Bermuda Careers Centre has come up with some useful tips for students in helping them choose the right college. The Royal Gazette <$>spoke to Executive Director, Derek Smith who advises students to research the work industries in Bermuda to find out what’s in demand now and what will be in demand once they graduate.

Bermuda Careers Centre’s website has various links to help you choose a college and below are some points that Mr. Smith says might help you make this decision.

1. Determine your career goals (Do your research)

2. Select College Characteristics

3. Research Options

4. Request College Applications and literature

5. Develop a Short List of Schools

6. Visit the School(s)

7. Make a final decision.

Mr. Smith believes it is important to determine your career goals when choosing a college.

He adds that it is vital to do your research since there are many questions to ask yourself before choosing or applying to a college.

The big questionsWhy do I want to go to college?

What do I hope to achieve in college?

Do I have some idea of what I want to study?

What are the educational requirements (i.e. Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree) for my planned career?

What type of school will I attend?

What schools offer programmes specific to my career choice?

Which school do I really want to attend and why?

Do I want to live at home or go away to school?

Do I prefer an urban, suburban, or rural environment?

Do I want to attend a small college or a large university?

Another question to ask yourself is: “What matters most to me in choosing a school: location, cost, reputation, or class size?”

Mr. Smith says by identifying your career goals, you may have to attend a post-secondary school to attain the appropriate certificate, licence, or degree required for that career.

CharacteristicsYour next step is to identify college characteristics that match your educational and career goals. The first step in selecting a school, he says is to know what you are looking for.<$>

“Select several characteristics that you consider important in your search for a school from the list below, and then start gathering information about schools that match your selected college characteristics,” he elaborates.

Consider the following characteristics:

Type of School (i.e. Public or Private School, college, university, etc.)

Graduation and Retention Rates

School and Class Size

Admission Requirements

Location (i.e. urban, suburban, small town, or rural)

Distance from Home

Religious Affiliation

Ethnic Composition

Single Gender or Co-ed (i.e. women’s/men’s/co-ed)

Curriculum and Programs

Certificates, licenses, and degrees offered

Quality of education

Facilities (i.e. computer labs, libraries, restaurants, shops, and health clubs, etc.)

Campus Environment and Security

Housing and transportation

Social Activities and Clubs (i.e. special interest groups, activities, fraternities/sororities)

Faculty

Athletics (i.e. intramural and varsity sports)

Cost & Financial Aid

Job Placement (i.e. internships, co-operative education programs, etc.)For more information visit the Bermuda Careers Centre’s website at www.bdacareers.bm