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Figuring Out What You Want in a College

Page 1

Figuring Out What You Want in a CollegeAfter you spend some time thinking about your own likes and dislikes, you'll want to consider what it is that you want your ideal college to have. You might have heard your counselors talk about an ideal college profile--think of it as your college shopping list. You probably won't be able to find a college that has everything you want and you'll have to make some compromises. But having your preferences laid out will help you focus and save time. As you begin to research and visit schools, you can consult your ideal college profile and see how the various schools measure up.

The Academic Menu
Keep an open mind about the fact that your interests change fairly quickly at college. Those words were said to me more than a handful of times but I ignored them because I thought I knew everything. After four years I realized that I'd changed dramatically.
--Recent Grad
UCLA

Based on your interests, what courses and majors do you want your college to have? If you love theater you'll definitely want to apply to colleges that offer a theater major and have a strong theater department. But remember that your interests might change and evolve, and your college needs to have enough majors and departments that interest you so that you can switch without having to transfer.

In addition to the types of courses you want to take, you should also consider how you want them to be taught. Think about how you learn best, how much individual attention and guidance you need, and how disciplined you are about studying. Some college classes are taught as lectures: They have a large number of students and the professor lectures while you listen and take notes. You're responsible for keeping up with the reading, and there is usually not a lot of interaction with the professor or with other students during class. Many introductory courses are taught in a lecture format.

Smaller, seminar-style classes have fewer students. In these classes, there is more interaction with the professor and more opportunity for you to contribute to discussions. You'll probably take some of each type of class while in college, but if you prefer smaller classes you'll need to apply to schools that offer a lot of them.

For me, being in a lecture class with 300 other students wasn't a good match. I really like discussions and wanted more interaction with the instructor and other students in the class.
--Recent Grad
Columbia University

Another thing to think about is whether you want to attend a school with a structured curriculum, or if you're a more independent spirit who needs freedom to design your own program. Most colleges have certain courses that you must take, usually called the core curriculum, but the requirements vary from school to school.

Another important academic aspect to consider is this intangible but ever-present thing called academic tone--how much of an emphasis is placed on academics, how challenging the coursework is, and how much is expected of you as a student. If you're the type of person who loves talking about ideas, studying, reading tons of dense material, and learning new things all the time, then you'll probably feel right at home in a college with a strong academic bent. If you were to attend a college where you weren't sufficiently challenged, you might end up feeling bored or uninspired. However, if you're the type of person who is more interested in things outside of academics, say sports or other extracurriculars, you might feel out of place in an academically competitive atmosphere.

Page 2Consider Admission Difficulty
There are a lot of people competing for admission at college and you want to apply where you have a chance of getting in. It's okay to have a couple of longshots, and later we'll talk about applying to a few "reach" schools, but they shouldn't all be.

We also don't suggest that you apply only to schools that are super-easy for you to get into. You're going to spend a few years and a bunch of money on your education and you want a school that will stretch you and allow you to grow intellectually.

I got in everywhere I applied, but I shied away from applying to places I had little chance of getting into.
--Recent Grad
UCLA

Special Programs and Offerings
There may be special programs or offerings that you're looking for your school to have. Some of these may be necessities and others may be things that would be nice to have but you could live without.

For example, if you have any disabilities, finding a college that can accommodate them is a big priority. If you anticipate needing tutoring with a particular subject, make sure that this is an option at the schools you're considering.

Other things, like whether your college has a formal internship program or a great selection of study-abroad opportunities, might be good options to have, but these aren't things that will make or break your decision.

I wanted to start learning a new foreign language at college and Wesleyan had this great study-abroad program in Japan. It intrigued me, and I ended up going to Japan during the first semester of my junior year at Wes.
--Recent Grad
Wesleyan UniversityDon't Forget Extracurriculars
Extracurricular activities can really enhance your college experience and they're a great way to meet people with similar interests. This won't be news to you if you've already sampled some in high school. Maybe you've been involved in the drama club, choir, or a particular sport. You may like it so much that you just can't imagine living without it in college. If that's the case, you may be tempted when you're looking at colleges to stick to what you know and love, but keep in mind that there will also be lots of new activities to try out. Look for what's important to you, but be ready to discover new interests.

Page 3How Much Can You Spend?
My biggest concern during my college search was finances. I decided to stay in Texas because of the in-state tuition. If it wasn't for financial reasons and wanting to stay in Texas to be near family, I probably would've been applying to many schools outside of Texas.
--Recent Grad
Southwest Texas State University

Any time you go shopping, you need to know how much you have to spend. The same holds true when shopping for a college. Never ever rule out a school just because it's expensive--each year more than one billion dollars is given out in scholarships, and there are many types of financial aid for which you and your family can qualify. But if your resources are limited, as they are for most of us, you want to make sure to apply to some schools that are not as expensive, just in case.

Talk to your parents about paying for college. How much will they contribute? How much will you have to pitch in? It's important to have this conversation as early in the process as possible so you know what to expect, look for a variety of schools in terms of cost, and apply for financial aid and enough scholarships to cover the bill. We go into much more detail on financial aid in a later chapter, but consider this component as you figure out what you need from a school.

Size Matters
Colleges come in all sizes, from student bodies of less than 1,000 to those of more than 60,000. The size of your school does affect your experience, both academically and socially. There are pros and cons to both small and large colleges, and it's just a matter of deciding what's right for you.

Small Colleges
At small colleges, as in small towns, you're more likely to bump into people you know. This can be nice, but it can also be a bit annoying after a while.

Classes tend to be smaller, which means there is more of an opportunity to participate in discussions and interact with the professors. Professors are more likely to remember you, and because they know you well, they'll be able to write you informed references for jobs or grad school.

My school was smaller and there was no graduate program, so I was able to work a lot more in my field of costume design. There just weren't that many people doing it.
--Recent Grad
Abilene Christian University

Sometimes people assume that small schools aren't all that diverse, but this isn't always true. Many small colleges attract students of all types of social, religious, racial, and economic backgrounds. Don't make any judgments until you do some research.

Large Colleges
Large colleges usually provide a wider range of course offerings. If you're undecided about the subjects you want to take, they give you the chance to explore many different fields. They also tend to have more lecture classes than small, seminar-style classes.

Not knowing half the people in your class is not too rare at larger schools--and it's not always a bad thing. If having a degree of anonymity is more desirable to you than having everyone know you, a large campus may be a way to go.

Page 4Location, Location, Location
I wanted to go somewhere that was far enough away from home that I'd meet totally different people but was close enough to go home at least a couple of times a year.
--Recent Grad
Columbia University

There are a few things to consider with regard to location. One is your proximity to home. If you've never been away from home for an extended period, think about how you might feel once you're away. If it's important for you to be near your family, you should think about how close you want to be--a couple of hours or a couple of states away? Try to gauge how frequently you might want to visit, and if you're thinking about moving far away, take into account the expenses involved in traveling home.

I knew that I wanted to move to the West Coast, so I chose three different schools in California. I wanted a change of lifestyle, a change of scenery, and to move away from home, to get out.
--Recent Grad
UCLA

If being near home is not a concern for you, think about possible regions in the country where you might like to live. Perhaps there is a particular area that has always interested you. College can be a great time to try out a new environment.

If you're going to go to college, try to go somewhere that is as far away from what you're used to as possible, somewhere where you can test out your theories on life. What's the point in testing them out in surroundings you're already used to, that you've already mastered?
--Recent Grad
UCLA

Setting is another really important consideration. Colleges are located in cities, small towns, the suburbs, and rural areas. Consider the setting in which you currently live and decide if you want to seek out a similar situation or try something new. All settings have their advantages and disadvantages--it just depends what you're looking for. On the next page are some of the pros and cons of the most common college settings.

(College) Personality Matters
We've all been to a party where we felt really out of place or in situations where we just didn't fit in. It stinks. The last thing you want is for this to happen when you go to college. You want to feel comfortable being yourself and being around people to whom you can relate. That's why it's important to give some thought to social tone and figure out what would make you comfortable.

You can start off by thinking about your current situation. What kinds of people do you like to hang out with and what kinds of things do you do together? You don't have to seek a similar environment in college--in fact, it's probably a bad idea to limit yourself to what you already know really well. But know the general type of a social atmosphere you're looking for.

I think what was really important for me was to have a really diverse school, not just racially, but in terms of the kind of people who go there. At Harvard, you get all kinds of people.
--Junior
Harvard University

The social tone of a school depends on the backgrounds of the students there and the types of things that interest them, including what they're studying. At some schools, a certain political bent will dominate. The Greek system of fraternities and sororities can play a big role in campus life, or it may be entirely absent. Depending on the college, students can also be socially aware, artsy, dress conscious, career oriented, studious, athletic, sophisticated, laid-back, open, ambitious, fun, etc. Think about the types of people with whom you want to spend the next four years.

We keep repeating this fact, but make sure that you're choosing something because that's what you want. It's all too easy to get caught up in someone else's idea of what's cool. Maybe your best friend talks all the time about the great social opportunities to be had at really big schools. But just because that's what he's interested in, doesn't mean it's good for you. Another friend might be dead set on joining a fraternity or sorority. That doesn't mean that you have to. This is your life, so make your own choices.

Page 5Think About a Particular Orientation
If mixing with others from your ethnic background or faith is important to you, you may want to make sure that you have the opportunity to do so at college. Think about how much of a priority this is for you.

I've been raised in a certain denomination and even though I wanted to go away from home to school, I wanted to feel like I was in a safe environment, one that was well-supported. I was sixteen hours away from my parents--it was important for me to be comfortable where I was."
--Recent Grad
Abilene Christian University

Students from nonwhite backgrounds sometimes say they feel isolated on a predominantly white campus. If attending college with culturally (or racially) similar peers is important to you, find out about the student populations at the schools you're considering and look for those with diverse student bodies.

Some students choose to attend schools composed almost entirely of people from their ethnic background. Students at these schools often speak of a great feeling of camaraderie, as well as the benefits of having role models from their own culture. This might be a choice you need to consider depending on your own preferences.

Coed or Single Sex?
At Vassar, there is a strong female voice because it was one of the Seven Sister schools. I really liked that part of it, but I also liked the fact that it was coed.
--Recent Grad
Vassar College

While all-male schools are on the decline, all-female colleges are not. There are more than seventy of them to choose from and they're actually gaining in popularity--admissions have been up in recent years.

Concerns about a restricted social life and limited dating opportunities prevent many young women from considering women's colleges. But, there are some compelling reasons why a college-bound gal might want to add them to her list of possibilities. Only about 2 percent of all female college students graduate from women's colleges, but a very large percentage of the graduates of these schools end up in some top positions.

For example, check out the following statistics, as cited by Converse College and www.WomensColleges.org.

Graduates of all-female colleges represent:

• 20 percent of the women in Congress
• 20 percent of Fortune magazine's 50 Most Powerful Women in American Business
• 33 percent of female board members for Fortune 1000 companies
• 50 percent of the women pursuing advanced degrees
• 30 percent of Business Week's 50 Women Who Are Rising Stars in Corporate America

Why are those who attend women's colleges so successful? One reason often cited is that women can focus more on challenging themselves intellectually because they are free of the distractions of dating. Also, there are more opportunities for women to assume leadership roles. This is not to say that such opportunities for female students are absent in coed schools, but at all-female colleges, women fill 100 percent of these roles. They also fill the majority of jobs there: 90 percent of the presidents and 55 percent of the faculty are women.

Despite all these stats, it's important to remember that there are millions of female students who thrive in a coed environment and prefer to be around both sexes because that's what it's like in the real world.

I think an all women's school is fantastic. It's a great opportunity. But I have a lot of friends who went to Smith and it just seems like oftentimes when they get out, they're just really na�ve when it comes to the ways of the world.
--Recent Grad
Wheaton College

Page 6Your Ideal College Profile
Now that you've considered the many aspects of college life, you're probably starting to get a clearer idea of what your ideal college could be like. It really helps to create a chart, and we've created an example. You can use this template or create your own--the main idea is to have something that will serve as your guide as you dive into researching schools. Having an idea of what you want will make the search process much easier.

On the left-hand side, list the different aspects of college life--for example, academic offerings or cost. Then, next to each point, write what you would like ideally in that area. Make sure you include all the areas that are important to you. Finally, figure out how important each particular aspect is. We've created columns for you to mark each characteristic as "must have," "nice to have," or "not critical." When you start to look at actual colleges, you'll want to focus on finding those with the most "must have" qualities. Just don't mark them all as "must have."

An ideal college profile can be a helpful guide in your college search, but try not to feel bound by it. Your priorities may and probably will change, and that's okay. Keep an open mind and remember that some college may have this great program about which you didn't even know and with which you might fall in love.

I always thought that I'd major in econ, but then I visited Wesleyan and learned about this combined major called the College of Social Studies. It included some econ, some government and history, and even some philosophy. As I learned more about it, I couldn't think of anything else that appealed to me more.
--Recent Grad
Wesleyan University