Ever thought about going into a creative career? If you are into fashion and/or design and love to put unique design touches on your clothes, backpack, and anything else you can think of, graphic design may be the career for you. There are many private and public colleges that are known for their courses in graphic design , fashion, and more.

Graphic designers earn about $46,750 annually depending on the area that you work in:

• Specialized Design Services: $50,190

• Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishing: $40,680

• Advertising and Public Relations: $48,140

• Printing and Related Support Activities: $38,910

On average it would take between two to four years to get a degree in graphic design depending on the college you're attending. One of the principles of graphic design is C.R.A.P. which stands for, Contrast, Repetition, Alignment and Proximity.  Common types of work that graphic designers do includes: logo and branding, web sites, magazines, advertisements, product designing and the list goes on and on.

Most of the time you can't even decide what you want to eat for lunch, right?  And now you are faced with the task of choosing what college you will be attending the following fall.  Its okay to be stress, nervous and anxious, after all, choosing a college is the first step towards independence and self-discovering. 

If you're planning to attend a college in-state or one that is out of state but is worried about what if you go to school in-state and never learn to be independent or that if you go to school out of state you will have nobody to support you, no friends or family, try to focus less on where the school is at but more on what the school offers.  However, if you don't want to go far from home and you can't find a college that interests you, taking a few community college courses keeps you on tract but most importantly can give you some time to decide your next step.

Steps you can take that may help you decide which college is best for you is to look into the cost of living, tuition, job opportunities for college students, take a tour of the campus, campus activities and more. 

Don't forget, always have a plan B, for instance; you were so exited about the prospect of going to the college of your dreams in the fall you did not apply to any other colleges or look into job opportunities and when it was too late to apply to any other colleges you are told that you were not accepted.  It's better if you always have a second choice, just in case you do not get accepted to your first choice. 

Lastly, remember the most important thing of all this, choose the major that is right for you that will allow you to work in the area you love, your dream job, a job you are excited to wake up every morning for.  If on the way you find that you do not like your major, don't be afraid to try something else, talk to your counselor or academic adviser and  they can help you find the right major for you.

Many students struggle with exams, test, and quizzes.   One thing you need to know to improve your test scores is to have a positive attitude, think positively and relax.   Another way you can improve your test scores is by doing the basic, study.   Studying is the best way prepare for a test and when you are prepared you will do better on the test, but avoid cramming and all-nighters.  A well rested mind is a useful mind.   Eat a good breakfast so you won't be distracted by hunger and do a quick ten minute review on points that you need to study the most.  

Even when people study and feel they are well prepared for the test, exam or quiz, they still struggle to obtain the necessary test score.  Here are some test taking tips to help you.

Multiple Choices:

• Read questions before the answers.
• Eliminate answers that you is wrong.
• Make educated guesses when stuck on a question.
• Usually the correct answer is the one with more info.
• If you do not understand the question, ask the Professor/Teacher to clarify.

First impressions are crucial, they will determine how the other person will view you as a person.  First impressions are important during job interview, when you meet someone or what to write in your college application. If you want to look professional and make a good first impression follow these simple and easy steps:

1.) Talk to your counselor.
Your counselor is the first person to go to if your having problems filling out college applications.  Counselors are there to assist you and will have answers to most if not all of your questions pertaining to college, college applications, SAT I and II, etc.  Your counselor is your personal college encyclopedia.

2.) Stay in touch with your counselor.
Counselors can also give you tips on how to relieve stress.  It would not be a bad idea to keep a close relationship with your counselor, he/she would be a wonderful source of knowledge.

3.) Research and more research.
Research online for scholarships that you would be eligible to apply for.  Even then, if you find a scholarship that you are interested in but you may not fit all the criteria, you should apply anyways.  Very so often a scholarship would not be applied for. 

Websites for scholarships:
FastWeb
College Monster

4.) Start Early.
Start researching for careers your interested in, take tours of colleges your interested in, take some initiative.

5.) No procrastination. The first impression is always important and could lead to important changes in your life, you can miss great opportunities because of this factor.

6.) Listen to your parents. 
Aside from your counselor, parents are also great advisers and supporters when you need them. They can help you out when you're stressed or frustrated.

7.) Don't let your parents do your work for you. This is one of the worst mistakes you can ever make, parents are here to support you, not to do your work for you.   You learn by doing, if you don't do anything you don't learn anything, its your loss if you don't do it.

8.) Be Open-minded. This way, no body can brainwash you.  Go for what you desire and love to do.  Be open-minded to talk to colleges and universities about your career plans.

9.) Visit and Visit early. Don't be fooled.  Take some advantages over others and don't wait to the last minute to visit colleges or think about what you want to do, start to fill out applications today.

10.) Don't let the pressure get to you.  Choosing the right career is a big and thoughtful decision.  Plan a strategy to manage your time.

FastWeb helps students through the process of finding, and applying to scholarships, scholarships like essay contests, leadership abilities, culture, income and others. Fast web helps out students to prepare for college, it also helps out students to learn more about college and how it works.

Students with FastWeb accounts get daily updates regarding new scholarship matches, based on their interests, schools, major and many other criteria. FastWeb also helps out athletes, and students who want to get involved in the military.

FastWeb is a good tool for students who need financial assistance, it doesn't just match students with scholarships, it also makes good connections between students and their parents.