FIRST after Highschool

[Bharat Nain]

This is a very important consideration. You can search CD for FIRST alumni who have said something on this topic. Many students have graduated and royally messed up their college grades. Once you enter college, you are in a whole different world. I think everyone should remember the big picture in that FIRST really is designed so that you can grow up and excel in different fields. Dean Kamen really wants people to become entrepreneurs and inventors and people of high value. To do this, it is OK to not do FIRST for a few years. There are other ways to support this cause. I know there are students who graduated from our team (25) who have grown up to become important people in their respective fields and society.

With all that said, in college, students should always consider their grades a priority. No one is going to hire you if you have a -5.9 GPA and a ton of FIRST experience. We also need to remember that there are other things in this world such as family, friends, the whole college experience etc etc.

On the other hand, if you do decide to participate in FIRST during college, make sure that your first priority is your grades. I was able to do FIRST comfortably last year (my first year) because my classes got canceled due to logistical things at college. It was unfortunate but I had no choice. It let me participate actively. This year is different though so I will not be as active.

You should also consider the money commitment it takes to be in FIRST. It costs a lot to be a part of college already, and on top of that doing FIRST will inevitably cost a lot. For some teams, alumni get paid to be a part of the team due to their expertise. The reason I still participate is because of the value I get out of being a part of team 25. It is an environment where I can grow and help others grow. What I am trying to say is make sure you have a clear cut reason as to why you want to continue to do FIRST. Simply contributing to society is great but you need a plan or at least thoughts for your future or else you will end up where the waves take you and that may not be very pretty.

As a final thought, I'd say you should make your decision after/during your first semester. A lot of it depends on the college you are going to and what your goals in life are. It is not usually one choice that messes people up but rather a series of choices. A series of choices can also make their life. So consider all factors when you make a series of choices. Remember that FIRST will be around when you graduate college so if that is where your focus needs to be, then so be it. Good luck.