Take this brief self assessment to see how your family has influenced your decision to go to college.
True False 1. College is a tradition in my family. (Family includes not only parents and grandparents or guardians but also uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters.)
True False 2. My father/guardian completed college.
True False 3. My father supports my decision to go to college.
True False 4. My mother/guardian completed college.
True False 5. My mother/guardian supports my decision to go to college.
True False 6. My spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend supports my decision to go to college.
True False 7. My spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend completed college.
Press to update the totals.
You marked questions "True."
5-7 True’s: College is probably a tradition in your family and expected of you. The support of your family will help you make your way. On the other hand, you may sometimes wonder if you are only in college because other people expected it.
3-4 True’s: Some family members may be surprised at your choice to go to college, while you may be supported by others. Try to work on your relationships with those who may not understand your decision. Be frank and open about your desires.
1-2 True’s: You may feel that you are on your own. Perhaps because you are the first person in your family to go to college, you may feel extra pressure to succeed or you may simply feel unsupported. Remember that there are plenty of support groups on campus that you can turn to with your own needs.
8. Who decided anyway? Regarding the influence of my parents/guardians or others I’d say my going to college was the following (check one):
a. it was mainly my decision but a little bit of others’ decisions
b. it was mainly others’ decisions but a little bit of my decision
c. it was about equally both mine and others’ decisions
d. it was never talked about; it was just assumed I’d go
9. In the following box, write about your choice:
10. If I wasn’t going to college, I would be doing the following instead:
11. If I had the money and could do anything I wanted to do this year, I would rather be doing the following:
12. Looking over my last three responses, I feel I am going to college because of the following (check one):
a. I am choosing to go and want to go
b. I don’t really choose to go and don’t really want to go, but others want me to
c. I don’t feel I have a choice, but I want to go anyway
d. I don’t know; I’m confused
13. When people ask me why I chose this college, I tell them the following reasons (list at least three):
1.
2.
3.
14. When people ask me why I am interested in a particular major or field of study (or why I am undecided), I tell them the following:
15. The reasons I chose a particular major that I don’t tell people about are as follows: (Examples: "My parents want me to do it." "I’m afraid I lack the talent or brains to do something else I might like better." "It’s a matter of conscience.")
The following is a list of reasons for attending college. Rank them in order of importance to you, with 1 meaning most important, 2 of secondary importance, 3 third in importance, and so on.
My reasons for going to college are...
a. to please my parents
b. to have fun
c. to get a degree
d. to prepare for a career
e. to make friends
f. to better support my family/help my children
g. to avoid having to work for a while
h. to find a girlfriend/boyfriend/mate
i. to raise my economic level/get a better job
j. to explore new ideas and experiences
k. to acquire knowledge
l. to gain maturity
m. to learn how to solve problems
n. to learn how to learn
o. to gain prestige
p. to become a better citizen
Now look at your responses. Did you find anything that was surprising to you?
Look back over this exercise. Identify the top three values that influenced your decision to attend the college you are in. Write a brief essay in the following write-in-box. In the essay, explain how each of the three values led you to take a particular kind of action in choosing the present college.
You may want to share these with your class.
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