College Choice

The Decision Making Process
Jenna

Abstract
As a senior, the decision on whether or not you want to go to college comes out being the hardest decision some students make. I have made the decision that I want to go to college. Going to college will get me where I want to be. Not only that, but it will further my education. The decision that I need to make is whether or not I want to play volleyball in college or not. Colleges have given me several opportunities to do this. However, it just comes down to me making the decision. Not only just a decision, but the right decision. This decision will have an affect on several different things throughout the rest of your pathway. This is why it is important to make the right decision.

Introduction When you make your decision this way, you think it out before you make your final decision. Two ways to make a decision include rational and emotional. When you make a rational decision, you think it through and when you make an emotional decision, you just up and decide without thinking it through. Seven steps will lead to a smart and successful decision. First, you must define your problem. Next you will gather information, which becomes an important step. Third, you will identify your choices. Fourth, identify advantages and disadvantages of each choice. This will also be a big part of your decision-making. Fifth, you will finally make a decision. The sixth step, making a plan to get there. Last but not lease, you will evaluate your decision.

Define Your Problem
I have made the choice that I want to attend college after I graduate from high school. The problem that I have comes down to whether or not I want to play volleyball in college or not. I have loved playing volleyball ever since I started when I was little. I would love to continue to keep playing after high school. The only thing that stumps me is the fact that once you join a college sport, it then becomes a job. This choice remains to stand the hardest decision for me. I want make the best decision I can because if I don’t, I know I will regret it. I will use the seven steps to make the best decision.

Gather Information
Next, I must gather information about me problem. We all know that college is the complete opposite from cheap. Many students have to pass up the opportunity on going to college because of the cost. Scholarships come in handy for this. If I would go to college and want to play volleyball, it will still cost me a lot of money. However, if I can get a vast scholarship to go play volleyball for a college, I’m more likely to jump on that opportunity. According to the Chadron State website, the estimated cost to attend CSC to fit my needs, it will cost me $5,032.20 per semester. This is including room and board and also a meal plan. Now on the other hand, if I were to get an offer to go play volleyball somewhere, some of that money would be waived. This is defiantly an advantage in the long run when I am paying college off later on in life. Paying off college will take awhile if you don’t apply for scholarships. However, if I apply for scholarships and receive them as well as get a volleyball scholarship, it would be to my advantage.

List Options
When you look at my options, I could have several different ones. It just depends on which choice I am leaning closer to. If I do want to play volleyball in college, I would have options to which schools I want to go to. It will narrow down to which schools accept me. Not only that, but also which schools will offer me a scholarship. I think it would be awesome to receive a full ride to one of my top choice; however, I need to have a backup plan. My other options consist of if I don’t get a scholarship to the schools I want to go to, if I will even play volleyball in college.

Advantages and Disadvantages
There remain several advantages and disadvantages to each of my choices. One of the advantages that I consider the biggest stays getting a scholarship. Like I said earlier, college stands far from cheap. Yes, you can apply and receive scholarships, but that will not cover everything. If I would receive a major scholarship to go play volleyball and also receive other academic scholarships, paying for college would become easier. Another advantage is playing a sport would push me to keep my grades up. This would also force me to maintain a certain GPA to stay a member of the team. Therefore, I would have excellent grades. On the other hand, playing a sport in college can also come with some disadvantages. One of them includes that the sport becomes your second job. You leave for college sooner so you can train for your sport. You also have late practices, leaving little time to study. The disadvantages won’t faze you if you are dedicated to that sport.

Make a Decision and Explain Why
Having much time to think this through, I have made a decision. However, there are some twists and turns to my decision. It will depend on what all happens in the future. I feel that I am dedicated enough to the sport to play it in college. After attending try-outs for one college, I have found out it’s at a whole different level. I will have to not only prepare myself physically, but also mentally. I have come to a choice that if I receive a big scholarship, I will play volleyball in college. I know that it may be difficult my first year. Havening to manage not only my studies but also volleyball. I have thought about this long and hard and realized that I am capable of doing this. I am doing my best to get recognized by my top colleges for volleyball but if it’s not my top choice that does, I will evaluate that college and make my choice. My choice is well thought through and I am able to make a wise final decision.

Make A Plan of Action
Making a plan of action becomes the most important step. Several people have goals that they want to reach in life but they never have a plan of action to get there. When people don’t have a set plan, most of the time they never reach their goal. My plan of action can become a little flexible. My first step, I have already completed. That step remained applying and getting accepted into colleges. I have gotten accepted into UNK, CSC, Colby Community College in Kansas, and University of Wyoming in Laramie. My next step, to determine which school will give me the best offers based around my nursing major. Then, I will narrow it down to two schools. My last step stays that if one of those colleges offers me a scholarship to play volleyball, I will go play for them. Having a set plan will help you get to your goal. So make sure you make a plan of action to reach your goal or it’s possible you won’t get there.

Evaluate The Decision
I think attending college on a volleyball scholarship will remain the best decision. I feel that way because it will become much easier to pay for college. Also, I would love to continue playing volleyball. This would stay the best choice for those reasons. If I am able to do so, it will hopefully give me a whole new experience. It is much different than high school level. This remains why it would benefit to play volleyball in college.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the decision making process has several steps to it. First, you must define your problem. Next, you need to gather information about your problem. Then, you will need to list your options. Fourth, you have to find the advantages and disadvantages about each of your choices. Fifth, you must finally make a decision. Sixth, you must make a plan of action. This step can become the most important part because you need to make a plan on how to get there. Last, you need to evaluate the decision after it has happened. Decide whether your decision was a good or bad choice.

References
Retrieved from http://www.csc.edu/