There are thousands of potential choices for rising seniors, hundreds of influences on the paths they take in choosing colleges for consideration. How can they best sift through it all to find the right fit for them? And perhaps even more importantly – what SHOULDN’T they do? Bob Allen, President, Green Mountain College, weighs in:
Top 5 Ways NOT to Choose a College
- Limit yourself to just a couple of search terms. Size, location and a “big bucket” term such as “liberal arts” don’t go far enough to finding the right place to (ideally) spend the next four years of your education!
- Choose based on sports teams – unless you’re entering on a sports scholarship, a school’s successful team doesn’t equate to your academic success. You might be better off cheering that team from afar!
- Get distracted by facilities – who doesn’t like a fancy dining hall? But in the end, are your meals really what you want to remember best from your education?
- Cave in to peer pressure – don’t just default to the school where your friends are going. College is the time to let your individuality shine, to figure out what you really want in a career (which might not be the same as your high school clique).
- Rely on limited, or not credible, rankings – there are more and more rankings lists popping up each year. Do your research – if the list isn’t from an organization you (or your parents or guidance counselor) recognize as an authority in your area(s) of interest, disregard it. And, keep a wary eye even on the “elder statesmen” of rankings; some have not been updated to include newer areas of study, such as sustainability.
While choosing a college is never easy, it’s possible to find the perfect fit. Don’t be blinded by the glitz and glamour of a campus or the college name. Names makes the news; but colleges that offer excellent educations are everywhere. Look for the college that fits your academic, financial and social needs.
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Green Mountain College is recognized for its work in preparing the next generation of sustainability professionals more than any other college in the country (see here for details).
Found it very useful. Thanks for sharing.