Education is the gatekeeper to opportunity. Millions of Americans go off to college each year in search of this silver bullet that will help them find success in whatever field strikes their particular interest, but it’s those who learn to leverage their education into new and exciting opportunities who find the most reward for their hard work.
Whether you’re a newly minted undergraduate student looking to branch out into many potential fields of study or a postgraduate researcher seeking to hone your skills for a more lanced focus within your discipline, making the most of your education is always a priority. With these tips, you can turn that vision into a reality.
Cut a wide swath.
Wherever you find yourself in your educational journey—a Wharton Business School MBA program, your first year in a community college course, or anywhere in between—learning to make the most of the opportunities before you is a crucial lesson that everyone must learn. This is something that renowned lawyer and mineral enthusiast. Howard Fensterman has learned over a long and storied career. Fensterman is a New York City lawyer who has served the community as well as a high profile list of private clientele. Fensterman’s experience and success comes from a background of exploration and adventure. Leaning into your hobbies and interests will make you a better lawyer, businessperson, or writer when you eventually break through into the marketplace.
If you can take anything from Howard Fensterman’s experiences, understand that a broad range of interests and experiences is crucial to broadening your horizons. With an adventurous spirit that’s open to new experiences and opportunities, you can always make the most of whatever comes your way. Also, by feeding your passions, you’ll have a greater depth of character and background knowledge that will help you in all that you do professionally as well as in your free time.
Take a range of electives.
This means taking lots of classes that aren’t necessarily beneficial to your track but feed your curiosity. This is especially significant in your undergraduate years. The bulk of elective credits that you’re able to stack into your course load gives you the opportunity to engage with unique people who bring a vast range of individualized experiences to the table. For those in a history course, for instance, tacking on an elective that places you in a science lesson twice per week will bring you into the headspace of a whole new group of thinkers. You never know: you may even meet a few lifelong friends by stretching your elective courses across disciplines.
This also means that you’ll have to take care of your image. Adding new clothing and style elements like magnetic lashes to your regular lineup is a great way to make a big splash each semester as you enter a new classroom full of eager minds. Magnetic lashes are easy to use, are far more efficient and painless than other lash or eyeliner options, and they’ll help you make a great first impression on anyone you might meet in your newest classroom. Taking care of your image is also important for your mental health. Dressing down for class might be a comfortable option, and many students choose to scrub on many weekdays. However, this habit will only contribute to a prevailing laziness that creeps into other aspects of your routine. Adding eyeliner or magnetic lashes is a simple, yet powerful, way to buck that regression to the mean. Staying engaged and active is critical to the reinvention that occurs during your college years. It’s also important for those looking to the future, which should be everyone.
Plan far ahead of your schedule.
Planning for the future is obviously an important part of the personal and professional development that one must go through during this time away at school. If you truly want to make the most of these years and all the opportunities they have to offer, then you need to plan for your future as soon as possible.
Another reason to branch out into new and interesting elective courses is so that you can identify spaces of interest for your future career and standard of professionalism. You may go on to be the founder of a U.S. Fortune 500 company or work as an integral part of a highly technical team, but without a plan, these avenues of personal growth may be cut off before they even materialize. Working with MBA admissions advisors is a great way to plot your course. For those looking to attend an MBA program at a highly regarded business school, like Wharton or Harvard Business School, starting in your early years of college and working with professionals who understand the MBA program requirements and intangibles is a core necessity.
No matter where you hope to go in life, approaching the future with a plan is the first step. Make the most of your education by branching out into new and interesting fields and utilize the professional help of an admissions consultant to bring your future plans to fruition.