Find Your Heart, Soul & Purpose in College Admissions

Where do the subjects of heart, soul and purpose cross roads with college admissions? They might seem like very separate topics, but as the years of my experience in education and college counseling pass, I see that they are intertwined.

The Heart
When I write about the heart, I am not referencing the incredible organ pumping blood through our bodies. No, I am talking about the center of you. The Latin root word “cor” was morphed in the French language to “cour” (or “coeur,” the French word for heart), and then came words like “courage,” “encour-age,” and “discourage.”

Discouragement & Intuition
Every challenge in life is hit at one point or another with discouragement. Today's students face discouragement in all forms, from a rejected college application to a difficult class.

On the opposite side of the heart, you have intuition. As valuable as job skills will always be, intuition and the use of one's personal experiences enriches the workplace in ways no employer should overlook.

Looking back at discouragement, the subject of "practical" majors comes to mind. A student once told me that even if there is opposition toward the subject you love, it would be unwise to choose a more "practical" pursuit because your heart will not be in that degree, and you will not do as well.

Claim the Design of YOUR Future
What does it mean to intertwine your core with college admissions? Don't resist involving your emotions in the process, accept that discouragement will come, but depend on your intuition, not removing it from this process. Determine what a life of meaning is to you, and go after it with your heart, soul, and a driven purpose.

To delve deeper into the subjects of design, intuition and surviving the hectic process of college admissions, check out my book, Admissions by Design.