When it comes to your life and college, be selfish

Britney Wasserman, a student at UNC-Chapel Hill and intern at the Pope Center for High Education Policy, contributed a first-hand account of the decisions that landed her in an unpleasant predicament for the first 2 years of her collegiate experience. Initially, she started at North Florida University, after passing up an opportunity to attend Florida State (where my sister will soon start her Master's program) due to the interests of someone other than her self: her boyfriend.

It is very easy for any of us, especially in our early years, to attempt to please those whom we care about most (teachers, parents, mentors, significant others) by valuing their interests above ours. This is perfectly fine when we are thinking about where to go out to dinner, but there is no place for it when we are faced with life-changing events like going to college or choosing a career path. Advice and counsel can be welcomed, but in the end, our personal interests must take priority above all other factors, even those of loved ones, in guiding our final choices.

Britney's story had a happy ending, even with the breakup with her boyfriend. I saw this to some degree while an undergrad, given that Tennessee Tech did have a regional student body with plenty of high school couples. Unlike a weaker and disinterested North Florida, TTU is a proven institution with a strong academic tradition, respected programs, and an overachieving faculty in numerous subjects. However, regardless of the prestige of the college, if it is not the right fit for the individual student, the chances of success are minimal (as they were for many of my former temporary classmates).

Being selfish when it comes to your college (especially given the money involved), or your career, is the responsible course of action. It could even mean that the best interest of your future would be better served on a path that doesn't involve traditional higher education (though will require some form of lifelong learning, as all careers and pursuits do). Regardless the case, if you have researched and identified a prudent path to achieving through the pursuit of personal passions, do not let the interests of anyone stand in your way.