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College is a time of self-awakening and awareness where you begin to see who you are, who you want to be, and then take the necessary steps to get there. In this process lies growth and self-discovery that will, hopefully, be a skill you continue to perfect throughout your life. No one said the growth process would be painless and it is during orientation that you usually begin to see the possibilities for your future, as well as possible hindrances to your chosen career path. Here are a few tips to help make this process of discovery a little easier and hopefully speed you on your way to the bright future that lies ahead.

1. CAREER PLACEMENT TESTS/INTEREST INVENTORY: No one likes to face the fact that they are weak in certain areas, but these standardized tests are created to expose our weaknesses, as well as our strengths. During orientation pay close attention to these tests and, if possible, bring with you the last one you took in high school. Based on your interests and the answers you gave, these tests give counselors an idea of your interests and where your academic performance is the strongest. Choosing a career in a field you love will be vital to future success, so it is very important that you sit down with someone and go over the sections where you had the highest scores. Often, the testing company will take the guess work out of the situation and provide you a list of professions that fit your profile. If you never took a test of this sort, during orientation ASK your counselor for one! There is nothing worse than being stuck in a job you hate for the next forty-five years of your life, so interest inventories can help with this on the front side.

2. CLASSES: By the time you are a senior in high school, you should have an idea of what your limitations are. If you want to be a doctor, but are terrible in math and science, orientation counselors will tell you that you might need to reassess your goals based on aptitude. Your counselor will show you the required classes for your program of study. Scheduling classes you hate, like Calculus, when you would LOVE to take Dante in Translation, indicates there may be some internal conflicts you need to work out prior to choosing a career path. One of the most common problems that orientation addresses is helping students reconcile their interests with their capabilities. Many students drop out because they failed at something they really didn't like in the first place. Finding classes that

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