Are You Prepared to Pick the Best College for You?
You’ve submitted your applications, now it is up to the universities to review applications and cultivate the class of 2024, or is it?
Could you utilize this time to make a more informed decision once offers are released? YES! Research the best college for your academic interests, your specific support needs, and determine what makes a university an ideal fit for you. It is critical to examine these points now; once offers are known, you will be at the emotional peak of this journey and schools will be rolling out the red carpet to get you to commit. Use this time to put each of the schools you are considering under a microscope with the following questions.
Based on what you wish to study, is this subject matter an area of strength at the university? Have you spoken with anyone majoring in this subject at this university? What are their future plans? Do current majors have an easy time finding internships/full time employment opportunities? What careers are they embarking on upon graduation? Is it easy to conduct research with professors on this topic? Are the professors in the department accessible and engaged?
What support systems help you succeed in high school? Do you work with a therapist? Do you receive academic accommodations, e.g, additional time on exams? Do you have any special dietary needs? Are you a member of a faith, athletic, or artistic community? Research the support available for these needs and communities related to your interests at the universities you are considering.
What is the social landscape at each university? How easy will it be for you to find your friend group? What is the process for joining clubs? What challenges do current students struggle with? How many students utilize University Counseling Services and how easy it is to get an appointment? How many students transfer and how many students graduate in four years? How many students graduate with employment offers? Are alumni actively involved in helping students find employment opportunities?
Universities should only contact you during this period for clarification on your application. However, applicants can reach out to universities with questions and request to be connected with students for their input. If possible, try to speak with a first, second, third, and fourth year student at each university to get a holistic view of what your university experience will be like from multiple sources.
On April 30th, 2011, at 11 pm, I was having an email exchange with a student who had applied to over ten schools and was admitted to all of them. This student was struggling to commit to a university by the May 1stdeadline. Why do we really struggle with selecting the best fit university? Is it because we are uncertain of what we really want? Are we making decisions based on pleasing others? Or are we just exhausted from all the hard work it took to get to this point and all the decisions we have made along the way? Researchers believe adults make around 35,000 decisions a day which creates decision fatigue. Click here to learn more about Choice Overload from Yale’s Dr. Laurie Santos. For more insights into why we struggle with making the correct decision for our needs, listen to Choosing Wrong by This American Life. I urge you to really focus on what you want to accomplish at college and what resources you will need now to thrive so your decision will be well informed come April.