What School Is Right for You?
Advice from experts on the college search
If I have narrowed my list to six to eight colleges, what should I do next? Visit as many as you can and try to obtain a campus interview at each so you can learn as much as possible. (Almost all interviews are now strictly informational.) Read and reread the material the college sends you. Perhaps a former student from your high school, a friend or a relative attends or recently graduated from one of your choices. A good talk with such a person could go a long way toward helping you decide.
To how many colleges should I apply? If you choose wisely, five or six should be enough. Most students apply to a dream college or two, then find two or three others where they would be happy. Those two or three backup colleges often are chosen at the last minute, and the decision is not well thought out. When April rolls around, the student who has been careless about choosing backup schools maynot find the choices happy ones.
What role should my parents play in this process, since they'll end up footing most of the bill for my education? Your parents should be your greatest allies in this venture, and since they are likely to be helping you fund your college education, it is very important to consult them. At the very least, let them know the direction in which you are heading.
In most cases, regardless of their preconceptions, if you are carrying out your search logically and intelligently, they will back you up. But even if your school choices do not please your parents, keep in mind that they are not going to be spending four years at a particular institution; if your choice feels right to you, stick with it. If you are true to yourself, you cannot possibly make the wrong choice. And even if you are unhappy with the school, it is not the end of the world. You can always transfer after a year. Your parents will feel better if they keep that in mind, too.
In our years as counselors, we have found that when students make the final decision themselves, that greatly increases their chances of having a pleasant and fruitful college experience. Those who choose their own colleges are also the undergraduates most likely to make friends early, enjoy their classes, enter wholeheartedly into campus life and do well in their courses.
Help! I've filled out forms, made lists, talked to my parents, talked to my counselor--and I still don't know what I want. You may want to ask yourself: Do I really want to go to college right now? You might be wiser to take a year off from academia and work or, if feasible, travel abroad. If, on the other hand, after thinking things over, you decide you really do want to go to college right away, then take a deep breath and start going over your choices again. If that doesn't work, try throwing in some new choices. That may shake loose the right decision. But don't force the issue. If no match readily suggests itself, it may be best for you to plan to take some time off from school.
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