Explore majors and careers with confidence

Learn how to test-drive paths early — so you can build toward a future that feels meaningful, motivating, and aligned with your strengths.

Identify high-impact actions that open doors

Not every activity in college pays off — learn to focus on the ones that build real skills, a strong network, and lasting career momentum.

Build real skills and experience (not just GPA)

Develop practical skills and relevant experience that give you a real edge in landing the internships and full-time roles you actually want.

About the course

College is an investment — and an expensive one. Students pour in time, money, and effort. In return, they gain access to campus resources, alumni networks, employer events, professors, student organizations, and more. But here’s the problem — with so many options, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Which opportunities actually move the needle? And how do you make the most of the ones that do? College by Design is a 10-module course built for high school seniors and first-year and sophomore college students who want to make college count from day one. It teaches the mindsets, tactics, and actions that lead to long-term results — career clarity, personal growth, and real-world experience that gets them hired (or accepted to grad school). Students will learn how to: • Explore majors and career paths with purpose — not guesswork • Focus on high-impact opportunities that open real doors • Build a foundation of skills, experience, and connections that lead to target internships, full-time roles, and grad school admissions All through a simple, personal strategy to make every semester count. For students unsure where to start, or worried about wasting time, this course provides clarity, structure, and a step-by-step roadmap. No fluff. No jargon. Just what works. Created by a first-generation college graduate and career educator who’s led workshops at 35+ universities (including UCLA, Cornell, and UT Dallas) and helped hundreds of students land competitive internships and job offers, College by Design gives students the strategy most never get until it’s too late. (Primarily designed for students entering college or in their first two years, but valuable for any student ready to start making strategic moves.)

About the course instructor

Lasse Palomaki is a first-generation college graduate, career educator, and founder of The Strategic Student LLC. After navigating college without a clear roadmap (and learning the hard way what actually moves the needle) he created the course he wishes he had back then. Lasse has helped thousands of students take control of their college experience and land competitive internships and job offers. He’s been invited to lead workshops to students at 35+ universities, including Cornell, UCLA, and UT Dallas. Certified in Instructional Design and Design Thinking, Lasse combines engaging teaching with practical, proven strategies — all built to help students turn their degrees into real opportunities. Learn more about Lasse's work: www.linkedin.com/in/lassepalomaki www.thestrategicstudent.com

Curriculum

14 Chapters · 60 Lessons

  1. 1

    Module 1: Start Here

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Welcome to College by Design

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How to Use This Course

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Why I Built This Course

  2. 2

    Module 2: College by Design

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Why So Many Students Still Feel Lost by Senior Year

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      College by Design (vs. by Default)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Hard Work Isn't the Differentiator

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Why a Degree Alone Won’t Set You Apart

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Your turn: Default vs. Design Check

  3. 3

    Module 3: Your College ROI

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      College as an Investment

    2. Why Am I in College? Free preview
    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Same Degree, Different Returns

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Good Debt vs. Bad Debt

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: My College ROI

  4. 4

    Module 4: Clarify Your Direction

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Explore With Purpose

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How to Explore Careers

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Changing Direction

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: Explore With Purpose

  5. 5

    Module 5: Beyond the Degree

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      A Career-Ready College Graduate

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Building KSEs

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Skills > GPA

    4. Your Turn: Reverse-Engineer Your KSEs Free preview
  6. 6

    Module 6: The Credibility Ladder

    1. Building Credibility Free preview
    2. (Included in full purchase)

      How to Vet Opportunities

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Stacking Knowledge

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Stacking Skills

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Stacking Experiences

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Experience Is No Longer Optional

    7. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: Build Your First Rung

  7. 7

    Module 7: Decision Management

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Time and Habit Design

    2. Designing for ROI Free preview
    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Protect Your Bandwidth

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: Align Your Actions

  8. 8

    Module 8: Classroom Capital

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Beyond the Syllabus

    2. Choosing Classes and Professors Free preview
    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Faculty as Mentors

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: Design Your Classroom ROI

  9. 9

    Module 9: Campus Capital

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Leveraging Campus Resources

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Student Organizations

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      On-Campus Roles

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Career Readiness Through Campus Involvement

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: Map Your Campus Capital

  10. 10

    Module 10: Social Capital

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Building Your Social Capital

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Maintaining an Active Network

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Informational Interviews

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Employer Events

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: Rule of 7

    6. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: Build Your Personal Board of Advisors

  11. 11

    Module 11: Your Story

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Telling Your Story

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Showing Up (Online And Offline)

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Practicing Storytelling

    4. (Included in full purchase)

      Reality Check: First Impressions Matter

    5. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: Define Your Story

  12. 12

    Module 12: Design Your Semester

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      Blueprint for the Semester

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Your Turn: Build Your Semester Blueprint

  13. 13

    Module 13: What Now?

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      What Now?

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      Maintaining Momentum

    3. Thanks for Joining Us Free preview
  14. 14

    Bonus Module: Strategic Resources

    1. (Included in full purchase)

      The Future-Ready Graduate

    2. (Included in full purchase)

      51 High-ROI Activities in College

    3. (Included in full purchase)

      Application Toolkit

Ready to tackle college with confidence and graduate with more than just a degree?

Join College by Design today and start building a path toward a post-graduation path that you're actually excited about.

$149.00

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This course and its materials are intended solely for individual use by the purchaser. Any reproduction, distribution, or unauthorized use — by individuals or organizations — is strictly prohibited without prior written consent from The Strategic Student LLC.