Advice

Hi!
So, I realize that you did not ask for my advice, but being that you may be reading this as a high schooler looking at colleges, I figured I might as well talk to you a little bit about picking a college. It's hard. I will be the first to admit that - you get what seems like hundreds of things in the mail, each saying that their college is the best - big, small, private, public, close, far, etc. There are so many factors that seem to go around in your head and trying to sort thorugh it all is difficult. To add to that stress, there are family members and friends that all have their opinion on where you should go. My first piece of advice is to calm down. It will all come together in due time and you will end up at a good college. Trust me. And if you don't like where you end up, it's not the end of the world - people come in and out of colleges all the time, not just as first-years.

My advice for picking a college would be to first narrow down the major factors. Do you want a big school or a small school? Do you want to be close to home, or move far away? This is crucial and will make a big difference in what mail you keep and what mail you toss away. Having the entire college spectrum out there to look at is overwhelming and narrowing it down to a small or a large school that is close or far can help a lot. After you make those decisions, decide what is important to you. Is it important that it's a Christian institution? Is it important that they have a leading program in your intended major? Do you want there to be Greek life on campus (fraternities and sororities)? Are you looking for a certain athletic program? Figuring out the answers to some of these broad questions can prove to be helpful early in the college search.

After you answer some of these "big picture" types of questions, visit, visit, visit!! Visiting a
college campus allows you to really get a feel for what the school is like and experience the campus atmosphere. To be honest, all schools look pretty great in their admissions brochures - that what those things are for... but visiting a school gives you the chance to talk with people and learn more about what makes each place unique. If you enjoy your visit, plan a time to spend the night on campus with a student. Living in the residence halls is a huge part of college life, so staying on campus for a night can really give you a taste of what that is like.

Don't be afraid to apply to several schools - there is certainly nothing wrong with that. Once you apply you can check out what kind of scholarships or other financial aid you may receive and what colleges you are accepted to. If you're accepted to several schools, great! This is a great time to visit a few more times and visit with more people - talk to professors in your intended area of study and learn as much as you can about each institution. Once you make your decision, you can put your deposit in and start planning what color sheets you're going to get.

Picking a college is a big decision, but it doesn't have to be stressful. Start early to ease that pressure, and let it be fun... visit lots of schools, talk to lots of people to get a good feel for each school and what it has to offer you. Try and savor each moment of the college search - it's not something you do every day for the rest of your life, so remember that it is exciting.
Here's to picking a great school for you,
Mary