Welcome to the inaugural edition of ‘Kenzie’s Korner,’ a fresh and insightful segment where our college-aged writer, Kenzie Felix, tackles your most pressing questions about navigating life with your kids and grandkids.
As a student majoring in Audio Engineering Technology at Belmont University, Kenzie brings a unique perspective to our online platform. From choosing the right path after high school to understanding the nuances of college applications and preparing for higher education, Kenzie is here to offer guidance and advice for your children and grandchildren.
Dive into this month’s Q&A session, where Kenzie addresses concerns about college paths, the role of GPA in college admissions, and the best classes to prep for college life.
Q: How can I determine what path I even want to take after college?
A: While college can seem like the only option for students after high school, there is actually a wide variety of options for careers after high school that can start with college, or something else. Besides college, there is also trade schools, cosmetology, and real estate.
Trade schools allow students to quickly gain the skills needed to enter the workforce. These trades include, but aren’t limited to, welding, business administration, and computer repair. Cosmetology school is another option for those looking to go into the beauty industry.
The cosmetology industry offers services to both skin and hair. Real estate is a career that can be a good option for those who enjoy the business industry, but don’t want a college degree to experience the industry. Real estate can range from commercial to residential to land.
Q: How important is your GPA when applying to colleges?
A: GPA is not as focused on in the college admissions process as it used to be, but it is still important. Colleges tend to have a more holistic application approach which looks at students as a whole, but they will still have expectations for students to have a specific GPA.
I also encourage looking at your GPA on an unweighted scale where an A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, and F=0. This will help you to better compare your grades to the average grades of accepted students for the colleges you are looking at. You can look at the average GPA for accepted students to the colleges on your list, to determine how you stand against other applicants.
Q: What classes should I take to prepare me for college?
A: College-level classes including Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate are a great way to prepare for college. These courses are typically taught at your high school with national standards that are comparable to college courses. You can also take Dual Enrollment courses at your local college. These courses allow you to get both high school and college credit from one class. These costs for these courses are typically covered by Dual Enrollment. One thing to watch out for is that a bad grade in a Dual Enrollment course will affect your high school and college GPA.
Kenzie Felix
Kenzie Felix is a freshman at Belmont University majoring Audio Engineering Technology. If you have any questions you would like her to address, please email Harvey Kart at hdkart@aol.com.
