Fewer than ½ of first-time, full-time college students complete
a baccalaureate (four-year) degree within 6 years at the
institution they entered. And, 1 out of 5 U.S. citizens has
"some college, but no degree." It is amazing to me that so many
students that start college do not finish. I can tell you from
my experiences as a Vice President that colleges wrestle with
these facts on a daily basis. No one wants students to leave
their college and everyone wants to see their students succeed.
With all of the resources that colleges pour into trying to help
students succeed at their school, it is my opinion that too many
students are choosing the wrong college for the wrong reasons. A
lot of students choose a college because it was the BEST College
they could get accepted to, or because it was close to home or
the least expensive. I know of students that have chosen a
college based solely on the fact that one of their friends was
going there, too! Certainly, those are important, but I believe
students truly need to look at more than that. The college
search process needs to be about finding the "Correct College"
for you.
Let's talk a little bit about what I mean by trying to find
the "Correct College" for you. The "Correct College" for you
fits your unique abilities and needs. Your personality and
learning style. The "Correct College" for you challenges you
without overwhelming you. It offers you the best opportunity to
grow, achieve your fullest potential, and GRADUATE!
I think too many students lose sight of the fact that the
real key to unlocking all the doors and opportunities that a
college education provides you is that you have graduate to take
advantage of them. That doesn't mean I think you should choose
the easiest route possible. Not at all. I just believe more
students and parents need to consider that having a window
sticker of well-known college in their rear window really
doesn't mean much. It's the degree that hangs on your wall that
really matters!
There are 6 distinct areas that I think should play key roles
in beginning to shape the list of features you want in a
college. They are 1. Distance from home 2. Size preference 3.
Surrounding environment 4. Area of study 5. Level of academic
challenge 6. Affordability
I like to start with distance from home because it's very
critical to get this right. There is no one perfect answer here.
The objective is to really get a sense of your comfort level.
It's absolutely ok if you think you need the support being close
to home offers.
However, I would encourage you to consider at least initially
looking at some schools that are just outside your comfort zone.
This can play to your advantage both in the acceptance game and
in the financial aid game. Colleges want students that are from
outside their region. The farther away you are from them the
more they will want you as they strive to enroll students from
all over the country.
The next area I want you to think about is the approximate
size of the college you'd like to go to. · What size college
will fit you best? · Do you want the excitement of a large
university? · Do you need the intimacy of a small college? Or,
do you need something in between. Try to focus on what type of
learning environment would be best for you.
The location of the school you attend can have an impact on
your experience, too. Do you think you need the excitement of
the big city to stimulate you? Or, do you need the feeling of
safety that a rural locale can offer? Really try to frame your
answer in response to what you need to succeed academically.
After getting a sense for size and surrounding environment
it's time to focus on an academic program. Knowing what you want
to study in school really helps in figuring out what colleges
may be best for you.
Getting a handle on what you'd like to major in can be
difficult. Whatever your thoughts on possible majors, ask
yourself why do you believe that is what you want to study? Make
sure it's an answer that's important to you. Not just to please
someone else or because you think that's what others want you to
do. If you aren't doing it for you, the going can be very, very
tough.
You also need to consider how tough of an academic
environment will suit you best? Do you want to be challenged to
develop to your fullest potential? Are you looking for the
easiest path to a specific career? Not all academic programs are
created equal! And, not every student has to go to Harvard to be
successful. It's more important to find the right level for you.
Remember, the key is to graduate!
Finances typically play a part in your final decision. And,
you should consider them in your search process, too. However, I
wouldn't eliminate any schools on the basis of their "sticker
price" at this point.
What's most important is the actual out-of-pocket cost to
attend and you can't know that until after you've been accepted.
I recommend including at least one school that you absolutely
know you can afford no matter what. A financial safety school.
Once you have an idea of your preferences in these six areas,
then it's time to start putting together your consideration set.
Go online to one of the many college search engines out there.
You can see my personal favorites at my website
http://www.correctcollege.com/college-search-engines.html .
Try to put together an initial list of 20-30 schools. I
recommend that you then visit each college's web site for an
initial screening. You can Google the college's name if you
don't know the web site.
One of the things I really think you should try to find are
actual course descriptions in your program area. You can usually
find these under the academic heading or college catalog
heading. I also want you to look for actual professor
biographies and web pages. You want to know who's going to be
teaching you!
Another good strategy is try to find actual student blogs or
online journals where they tell you about their campus
experience as it is happening. Really put on your detective hat
while searching for information. Your trying to see if that
school will be a good fit for you.
I would also make the effort to talk with a current student.
Email the admissions office for the name and info of a student
you could email. Ask the student about what they like and don't
like there. Why did they choose that school? What's the biggest
topic on campus right now? Things like that.
Your ultimate goal is to build definite "will apply to" list
of 7-10 schools. This is not a set in stone number, but I think
it's important to have options when it comes time to actually
deciding where to attend. I also think it's important to have as
many financial aid offers to compare when that time comes
around.
Remember to include a financial safety school in that list. I
would also include an academic safety school. One where you are
very confident you will be accepted. Make sure you have options
when it comes time to make your final decision!
You can find the Correct College for you. Invest the time.
You are worth it!
