Category Archives: college planning

college planning

Starting the New Year Right

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new year

With a new year and a new decade beginning, it’s a good idea to evaluate goals and take stock of your progress. This is true with college planning and life in general. The easiest thing in the world is to say you’re going to do something. This is especially found when we suggest we’ll ‘do it tomorrow’. When we do that, we basically offset our need to complete a task or to even think about it, because having to do said task or start off from zero can seem stressful and worrying.

But the truth is that while the rumination is a bottomless pit, so is the satisfaction that comes from actually taking care of the tasks you plan for yourself. In fact, the art of staying on top of things and realizing your dreams, such as 2020 new year resolutions for example, is a satisfying journey without end. Once you complete something you gain that true sense of satisfaction, and you feel even more motivated to achieve something anew. The more you do this, the more the philosophy of ‘I will act now’ becomes a harmonious chorus in your mind rather than a grating shout.

With that in mind, we hope the following advice can help you curate this potential within yourself:

Find Something You Can Orient Yourself Towards

Like any vehicle, you’ll struggle to leave the driveway if you’re empty on fuel. The fuel that we’re talking about here doesn’t come in the form of a meal or an obligation, but in something you willingly submit yourself to, something you perceive as worth your time. Perhaps you know that losing weight is necessary if you’re to reduce the risk of health issues now you’re in your 30s. Maybe this can help you learn how to best run a Couch 2 5k or how to get over your fear of the gym. Nietzsche once said ‘he who has a why to live for can bear any how.’ Through this pursuit, you’ll be making good on that concept.

Take On A Challenge

Why not take on a challenge, or something that you may not otherwise have done? Maybe this could be as simple as taking a second language night course, or going up for a five-minute open mic comedy session at a local bar. Whatever makes you quake in your boots yet helps you realize a dream is often a good way forward. You’d be surprised just how much this can actualize your life and make every day feel important. Sometimes, you have to dive in the deep end to get things moving.

Plan Your Progress

Plan your progress going forward. Breaking down your goals for 2020 and noting them, step by step in Midori planners can help you correspond action to days. This in itself can give you a vital step up over your previous efforts, because when your plans are staring at you in black and white, it’s hard to refute you ever made them when struggling to get out of bed. Planning your progress can also help you see how far you’ve come – and that is not something to take for granted.

With this advice, you’re sure to apply the artful practice of making things happen in life.

college planning, extracurricular activities

7 Extracurricular Activities to Impress Colleges

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extracurricular

When your child is applying to a competitive college, every single thing that goes on the application makes a big difference. Grades are obviously very important, and so is the college application essay, but there will be plenty of students that have good grades and a great essay. So, how do the colleges choose between applicants? If they can’t separate them based on their grades and essays, they will start to look for other things, like extracurricular activities. The things that your child does outside of their normal studies make a big difference because they demonstrate a lot of the skills that colleges are looking for.

If your child participates in certain extracurricular activities that develop a wide range of skills, that looks great on their college application. It is often the thing that separates them from the other applicants and lands them their place, so it’s very important. There are all sorts of things that they can do, but it’s important that they choose something that they actually like. A college admissions officer will be able to tell the difference between somebody that is engaging in activities for their application alone, and somebody that is passionate about them.  

If your child is not currently engaged in any extracurricular activities, these are some of the things that look great on college applications. 

Student Government 

Student government is a great thing to get involved with if your child has any interest in politics or even if they want more of a say in how their school is run. Colleges love it because it demonstrates a few very important qualities. Firstly, it shows that you are a good leader and the other students in your school look up to you as somebody that can be relied upon. Secondly, it shows that you are responsible and capable because you are trusted with important issues. Colleges also like students that are willing to engage with the student community and get involved in events that promote the college, so student government is a great thing for your child to put on their applications. 

Educational Summer Camps 

Educational summer camps are a great way for students to learn new skills and boost their existing knowledge so they can improve their grades. There are some great camps that teach very desirable skills, like Coder Kids, for example, which teaches computer coding skills. If your child attends these educational summer camps, it shows colleges that they are dedicated to their education and they are willing to put in the hard work. It will also help them to improve their grades, especially if there are certain subjects that they are struggling with. 

Academic Teams And Clubs 

Academic teams and clubs are another great way for students to show their dedication to education, especially if they enter competitions. It shows that where academic pursuits are concerned, that student is willing to rise to the challenge and push themselves so they can improve. It also demonstrates a competitive spirit which a lot of colleges like. If your child is particularly interested in a certain subject and they excel at it, you should see if the school has any teams or clubs that they can attend. Math and science clubs are the most popular, but there are teams for most academic subjects. If there is not one available, they should consider starting one of their own because this also demonstrates good organizational and leadership skills. 

The Debate Team 

The debate team has always been a very popular among extracurricular activities for students to put on their college applications. Being able to form a coherent argument is an important skill for college students when they are writing essays or giving presentations on a subject. Being a member of the debate team shows that you have the critical thinking skills to weigh up both sides of an argument and draw conclusions. It also demonstrates that you have good public speaking skills and you can perform under pressure. Their speaking skills are very beneficial in a classroom setting because they will encourage discussion among their classmates and improve the learning environment. People on the debate team are also more likely to have a good understanding of current events.

Internships 

The thing that a lot of college students lack is work experience. This is an issue when they graduate and start looking for jobs because they do not have much real world experience. Colleges want as many of their students to graduate and get good jobs afterward because it reflects well on them, which is why they like applications that have obtained an internship. It also shows that you have the general skills that people need in the workforce like organisation, time management, and people skills. It also shows a level of maturity that a lot of students won’t have. 

Volunteer Work 

Volunteer work is a great way to give back to the local community and meet a lot of interesting people at the same time. It’s also great for developing new skills, and colleges love to see it on applications. In fact, a lot of the best schools consider it a must-have for any successful applicants. The best way to find volunteering opportunities for your child is to think about their existing hobbies and how they could incorporate them in a volunteering capacity. For example, if they are passionate about sports they could coach a local kids team. If they love animals, local shelters are always looking for people to help out. Volunteer work is only beneficial if it’s something that they really care about, so make sure that they find something that is a good fit. 

A Part Time Job 

Some applicants worry that their part time job doesn’t leave them enough time for extracurriculars and that will hurt their application, but that isn’t the case at all. Colleges recognize that some students need to work to help out their family so it won’t work against you. Having a part time job also teaches you a lot of the desirable skills that colleges look for. 

If your child is in the process of preparing a college application, these extracurricular activities will be a huge help.

college costs, college planning

Hidden Fees? Every College Has Them!

Want to know how much a college will cost you? Look on their website. The tuition, room and board is most likely clearly listed. But is that all it will cost you? If you have or had a student in college, as I did, you know that the tuition, room and board are just the beginning. There are hidden fees you might not see.

By the time you add on lab fees, student fees, dorm damage deposits, technology fees, parking and car registration, activity fees, and the elusive “miscellaneous” fees, you will add from $1000-$5000 in fees to your college bill, depending on the college.

Added to these, you can tack on the cost of books, Greek life, meal plans, and dorm, computer or health insurance to total college costs. And don’t forget travel expenses if your student chooses to attend a college far from home.

In an article in Fortune Magazine, one parent voiced her frustration with the lack of transparency related to college costs:

The fees are typically provided by the college’s bursar’s office, if requested, or listed in various places on a university’s website—but they aren’t always easy to find, says Michelle Gillespy-Goldstein, whose daughter attends the University of Colorado at Boulder.

“The lack of transparency is frustrating,” Gillespy-Goldstein says. “They tell you so many things when they’re recruiting you, but they fail to mention that piece.”

Before choosing a college, parents and students should ask for a detailed listing of additional fees involved if they aren’t listed on the website. In addition, talk to current students on the tour and ask about hidden costs they have encountered while at college.

Why do this? You don’t want any surprises when the first bill arrives.

college guidance, college planning, Uncategorized

College Rankings Based on Value

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college rankings

I’m not a fan of college rankings. Most are bought and paid for by the colleges and always have the Ivies at the top of the lists. You should never judge a college solely on its ranking, but there is one non-profit organization that ranks colleges based on the economic value added as being the improvement in earnings and employability of graduates; measured against the total cost of the education. Quite simply, colleges are ranked on their ROI (return on investment) by the Nonprofit Educate to Career.

Of course, your student won’t base their college choice solely on this information, but these rankings can help you and your student determine the value of your educational investment.

ETC President and founder Michael R. Havis states:

“Transparency and value in higher education is paramount – parents are telling us. Accordingly, we rank colleges by the outcomes of their graduates – including jobs and salaries, graduation rates, student loan payback rates, and other factors. ETC uses sophisticated statistical techniques to control for the quality of the students (we calculate the earnings value of high SAT scores and correctively weight our model for that value). Other rankings show a correlation between the SAT/ACT scores that a school accepts and the rank of the schools. They’re really ranking the students accepted by the colleges – while we are truly ranking colleges. Also, unlike other rankings – we do not accept any data from the colleges themselves, choosing to compile our data from only publicly available sources for the sake of transparency and impartiality”.

Some of the metrics used in calculating the ETC College Rankings Index are: 

  • Percentage of graduates employed in occupations which utilize their field of study
  • Average salary earned by recent graduates, by school for each major category (adjusted for region, occupation and other variables)
  • Percentage of persons employed within one year of graduation
  • Major, referenced against similarly situated students at other institutions
  • Graduation rate and the number of years to graduate
  • Tuition- in state, net cost
  • Loan default rates
  • Other proprietary input variables which norm students to a common standard for each school and major

The ETC College Rankings Index is the standard for ranking colleges based on factors that families actually care about – ROI. Click the link to view the 2020 ETC College Rankings Index!

If you’re going to rely on rankings to make your college choice, ETC rankings are the ones to use because they are solely based on statistical data and not information the colleges provide.

admissions, college guidance, college planning

How Many Colleges Should Your Student Apply To?

A few years ago I wrote this article for TeenLife online. With school starting and students beginning their college lists during junior year and finalizing the list at the start of senior year, this advice is particularly timely.

colleges

Most teens will tell you that making the college list is one of the most stressful times in their life. It’s a process that begins with a little bit of knowing what you like, what your goals are, and that intuition that every student takes to the table. Knowing yourself, your likes, and your dislikes will help you in the process.

There’s a theory among teens and many parents, which says, “The more colleges you apply to, the better your chances.” In theory it makes sense, but there are other things to consider besides hedging your bets with numbers.

Three Considerations When Applying to College

1. The Cost

College applications can be time-consuming and pricey, costing as much as $100 per application, unless you get the fees waived by the school or an organization. Ten schools at $100 each is $1,000. These application fees are non-refundable and aren’t applied toward your total cost of attendance. Although this should not be the only factor in determining the number of applications submitted, it should be considered.

2. The Time

Applying to college takes a tremendous amount of time, and each college has their own specific application criteria. The average college application usually takes about two hours to complete, not including writing the essay. Common sense dictates that the more applications you have to complete and collate, the less time you will spend on each individual application. The applications are your way of communicating who you are to a college—it’s not the time to spread yourself thin to rack up the numbers.

3. Quality vs. Quantity

Allen Grove, an admissions expert in the About.com College Admissions Guide, thinks it’s a little ridiculous when students apply to a dozen or more colleges. He can’t imagine how the student visited all those campuses, in addition to doing extensive research, and then decided that many schools were good matches.

“You see students who apply to every single Ivy League,” Grove says. “I just have to wonder if the student who is going to like Columbia (in New York City) is really going to like Dartmouth (located in a town of around 11,000 people). I find that unlikely, so I often think students who are sending out that many applications haven’t done their research.”

How Many is Too Many?

Most admissions officers generally advise students to apply to about five to seven colleges, but no more than 10. That includes a couple of safety schools (schools you’ll no doubt get into), a couple of match schools (schools you meet the requirements for), and a couple of reach schools (schools that are less likely to accept you).

In a Huffington Post article, Maura Kastberg, Executive Director of Student Services of RSC Your College Prep Expert, concurs with that advice. “There may be 20 colleges you want to attend, or you could have your heart set on just one. When you are applying to college, be practical. Most students should apply to somewhere between five to seven colleges. There are no guarantees that you will be accepted to the school you desire, but you should have a good idea about your chances of admission to each school.”

What Are the Criteria?

If you’ve done a thoughtful job when compiling your list, you should be able to answer the following questions (provided by Carolyn Lawrence of AdmissionsAdvice.com and contributing author to the College Admission Book blog): (http://collegeadmissionbook.com/blog/how-many-colleges-should-students-apply)

1. Can I explain why all of the colleges on my list are right for me?

If your answers to this question are superficial—such as rankings, prestige, location, or a friend’s suggestion—it’s likely your list is too long. Before you add any college to your list, you should be able to explain how the college aligns with the things you personally need to be happy and successful in college.

2. Will I have enough time and energy to put my best effort into every application?

Even the simplest applications require time and effort. Can you really handle the work involved in completing 15 or 20 applications? Be honest with yourself. It’s better to do an outstanding job on fewer applications than to do a so-so job on too many.

3. Do I love my “safe bets” as much as I love my “reaches?”

Build your college list from the bottom up; fall in love with the schools that are most likely to love you in return before you add colleges that are less likely to admit you. If you do, you’re apt to find that you really don’t need to apply to as many colleges as you think you do. Finally, don’t let fear sway you into panic mode.If you’ve carefully thought about the reasons why every college is on your list, and do your best job with each application, you’ll end up with great choices!

Even with all the right information, facts, and figures in place, choosing a college is more than just a list on a piece of paper. Most students will tell you that they just “knew” when they set foot on campus they knew it was right for them.

In an article for The New York Times, Jordanna Suriani, an admissions counselor at Ramapo College of New Jersey, writes that students who apply to several colleges because they’re undecided are doing themselves a disfavor come April when it’s time to make a decision. Once you get that acceptance letter, you have even less time to make a choice.

Ms. Suriani advises, “Figure out what you need and want now, and apply to schools which offer you most, if not all of it. Forget about trying to get as many acceptances as possible to places that don’t speak to you. Trust me. Come April, you’ll be glad you did.”

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep

5 First Semester Tasks for Seniors

This article was originally written for and published at TeenLife.com

seniors

The first semester of senior year is filled with anticipation. It’s your last year of high school and you have so much to look forward to, such as graduation and college. But in order for seniors to reach those goals, you have some high-priority things in the area of college admissions and creating the best college application that you can.

1. Get recommendation letters.

There’s no time to waste. Teachers and administrators and other mentors are busy people. With multiple students asking for recommendation letters, you want to be first in line. If you’ve done your homework, you have built relationships and now it’s time to ask for that college recommendation. Choose people who know you well and will be able to make the recommendations more personal.

2. Complete the college essays.

It’s time to put the finishing touches on that college essay you began working on over the summer. Remember the essay is your chance to demonstrate who you are. Be yourself and don’t try to write what you think admissions officers want to hear. Once your essay is completed, have someone proofread it before submitting with the application.

3. Finalize your college list.

It’s time to nail down your college choices. Review your notes and anything you learned during college interviews. Look at the entire picture for each college: Is it a fit academically, socially and financially? Are you at the top of the applicant pool and in the best position to receive merit aid? Make sure you have some colleges on your final list that are reach schools, some that are perfect fit schools, and some that are schools where you are pretty much ensured acceptance.

4. Visit the colleges on your list.

Fall is the perfect time for college visits. Not only will those visits help you finalize your list, but visiting a college demonstrates interest. Once the colleges receive your application, they will check to see how interested you are in attending and that will influence admissions officers. While you are on campus, schedule an interview and an appointment with the financial aid office. Ask questions that will help you finalize your college list.

5. Complete the FAFSA.

The FAFSA – the Free Application for Federal Student Aid – is available online. You should make filing it out a priority and the sooner the better. Colleges will be awarding financial aid this year along with their admissions decisions. You want to be first in line for this merit aid, so file now. Students who complete the FAFSA are not only eligible for federal aid, but for college-based aid such as grants and scholarships.

6. One last task: Submit your college application ASAP.

Consider submitting your application early. Applying early decision or early action means you will hear from the colleges sooner and also get information on your financial aid award. If you apply EA (early action) you’re not bound to any one college and you can apply to more than one. If you know the college you want to attend and it’s your absolute first choice, you can apply ED (early decision). You are bound to accept the school’s offer of admission, however, and you cannot apply to other colleges.

admissions, college guidance, college planning, college prep, college visits

Lessons I Learned During the College Search

college search

The college search is easily stressful for both parents and students. The amount of knowledge a parent needs to help their student navigate through college prep can be overwhelming. From choosing the college, to deciding how to pay for it, to making the final decision, it’s hard not to become stressed and frustrated.

Both my children attended college but took different paths. One entered college straight out of high school and the other after four years of military service. Even though the college search for each of them was different, during their individual searches I learned some valuable lessons.

Expand your search beyond the usual perimeters

When you begin the college search, you should cast a wide net. Many students limit themselves to state colleges, colleges with prestigious names and even nearby schools. There are over 4000 institutions of higher learning in the United States and even more if you expand your search beyond our borders—Canada and even internationally. Canadian colleges offer excellent educations and are often a better financial fit than many U.S. colleges.

Moving outside your comfort zone might help you and your student find a better fit. My daughter had her heart set on a large university and while doing a college search, we unearthed a small private college in the same city that was a better academic, social and financial fit for her. Keep an open mind and don’t discount a college simply because of name, location, or lack of notoriety.

Do the leg work

Do your research before narrowing down the final college list. Look at statistics. They will tell you so much about a college. You should compare graduation rates, financial aid award percentages, freshman retention rates, admissions acceptance rates and more. Make your choices based on your research statistics and whether or not the college fits your student’s academic and social needs.

These websites that can help with your research: College Navigator, Cost of Learning, Big Future, and the Department of Education.

College visits can be highly emotional

College visits for you are fact-finding missions. College visits for your teen are highly emotional. You can expect to hear words like “I’m just not feeling it”, “I won’t get out of the car”, “I don’t like the look for the campus/buildings”, and other irrational comments. Just remember that feelings are a part of the final college choice. You can’t expect your student to make their new home at a college they don’t like, for whatever reason.

I experienced this with my daughter. She received an offer of admission and a full-ride scholarship from a college we applied to but never visited. Based on the website, location and academic offerings she felt it would be a good fit. When we arrived on campus in early April for our first visit, she refused to get out of the car. She didn’t like the look or the size of the campus. Of course, I was completely frustrated with her, but she just instinctively knew it was not the college for her. Looking back, even though it seemed emotional, she knew what she wanted and ultimately chose the perfect college she felt was a good fit.

Organization is critical

You will be bombarded with information during your college search. The key to keeping track of it all and staying on top of all the deadlines is to stay organized. Your teen should set up an email purely for college information and correspondence. Make it official by using firstname_lastname @gmail.com. All college correspondence will come to this address and your teen can set up folders to help organize it.

You should also maintain a filing system for organizing paper. This might be anything from college brochures to scholarship materials and applications, to keeping track of accomplishments for the resume. Keep all college-related materials in one place—a college landing zone.

Ask for help if necessary

Some parents like me choose to work alone and guide their student through the college process, while others choose to hire a professional college consultant. Choose what is best for your family and its own financial resources. If you choose to work alone, there is a wealth of information online from blogs and social media. If you have a question, leave a post on a Facebook page, comment on a blog or DM someone on Twitter. Most professionals are happy to help with anything that might stump you.

You can also seek advice from your high school counselor, teachers or even college admissions staff. You don’t have to flounder around hoping you have the right information. Approach the college search with knowledge and determination and your student will succeed!

college planning, college prep, parenting

Surviving a Busy summer

summer

If you have a high school student, especially one who is focused on the goal of attending college, your summers aren’t just vacations. Gone are the days when you took the kids to the pool, the library and the park. Gone are the days when your time was consumed with planning the summer family vacation and creating a chore chart for the kids to complete chores before play time.

You (and your teen) have other goals in mind.  You’re thinking about using the summer to take care of some college prep tasks to get ahead of the game. Searching for scholarships, doing some test prep, visiting colleges, and having some serious talks about money will consume your summer days. How do you survive?

Share the tasks

It’s unthinkable in this competitive college market to expect a young teen to handle it on their own. Times have changed since we applied to college and there is much more to do than simply apply. You can help them make decisions, help with scheduling, even do some detective work searching for scholarships they are eligible for. This will ease the burden on them and alleviate the overwhelming stress that most teens feel about college.

Schedule and plan

We all know that we don’t ever have the time for a task if we don’t make the time and schedule it. Use any planning tool that works best for your family: an online calendar, an app for your smartphones, a huge wall calendar or a Google doc. Everyone knows—without a plan, you plan to fail!

Stay organized

I’m a huge fan of a college landing zone—everything in one place. Colleges still send information through the mail, registration forms and receipts need to be printed and saved, and flyers about scholarships need to be catalogued and filed. With everything in one place, it’s easy to find anything related to your student’s college preparation.

Make time to talk…and listen

Conversations are crucial to staying on the same page with your teenager. Make the time to talk, even if it’s driving to sports practice or shopping together at the mall. These small conversations are key moments for you to gauge their temperature and share some encouragement. If stress is present, you can help relieve it. If they feel overwhelmed and need help, you’re there for them. Talking about their future and truly listening prepares you both for senior year when things will proceed at the speed of light.

Of course, you want to have fun this summer; but a little work and some focused preparation will make the next school year seem doable. Use the summer time wisely.

admissions, college planning, college prep

Is Your Student Ready for College?

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college

When you have children, you know that you always have to play the right kind of role in their lives. And that can feel quite overwhelming. You need to keep them safe, you need to ensure that they’re healthy, and until their old enough to make the best decisions for themselves, you also need to guide their futures too.

This is why we’re often so interested and invested in the college process. When it comes to college prep, you’ll often know that you need to be actively involved. But sometimes, you won’t know what that looks like, or what you should be doing in order to help them prepare. So let’s take a look at some of the things that will help.

Grades

To start with, you’re going to want to make sure that the basics are covered – grades. Because your kids will need to have good grades to get into the best colleges. Or, at the very least, you need to know what the grade requirements are, and ensure they can keep up. This needs to be seen as the base.

Extracurriculars

But you do have to remember that college is about more than just grades. So many kids have fantastic grades, so it’s important to standout in other ways. This is where extracurriculars come in. There are lots of impressive extracurriculars that your kid could try. Think about their interests and where their strengths lie, and then sign them up as early as you can to see where they flourish.

Tutoring

Now, it’s also a good idea to think about tutoring. When it comes to getting in, a college prep tutor could be great. Your child many not necessary need tutoring academically, but it can often help to work with someone that knows the process, and can help you get in!

Summer Camp Prep

From here, you’ve then also got camp to be thinking about. Summer camp can be so rewarding for your kids, alongside tutoring. So why not think about enrolling them in a camp that can help? You could look into something specialist, such as CT STEM classes, or just a general camp that covers off a wealth of different areas. Either way, this experience can help them develop for the future.

That Je Ne Sais Quoi

Finally, you may also want to think about the little things that will help your child get into their dream college too. Now, not everyone will want to go Ivy League – but even other top schools can be competitive to get into. And it’s nice for you to think about ways for them to stand out. Do they have special interests? Any experiences that they can press? Having that little special something, or je ne sais quoi, can really help when it comes to applications. So pinpoint their special qualities and run with it.


admissions, college planning, college prep

Attending a Suburban College

suburban college
Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts

When my daughter applied to college, she knew she wanted to make the move from Texas to an eastern college. She wanted to live in or near a large city and she applied and was accepted to colleges in New York City and Boston. Coming from a small city, I feared New York might be overwhelming since she was traveling thousands of miles from home and was barely 18. But Boston offered the next best things—a suburban college near an urban environment.

Bentley College (now Bentley University) was the perfect option. It was nestled in a small community, Waltham, Massachusetts; but it was close enough to Boston to make it feel like she was attending an urban college. The mass transportation available made it easy for her to take advantage of all the culture and entertainment available without feeling swallowed up by the big city.

Suburban colleges offer some qualities of both urban and rural schools, and might be the best choice for your student.

What is a suburban college environment?

Suburban colleges give students more options for activities off campus in the surrounding rural and urban areas. They often give students the freedom to choose between outdoor activities similar to those at rural colleges and urban offerings such as museums, concerts, plays and other cultural events.

Colleges often provide local transportation to and from the local community and the urban areas surrounding the college. Local venues surrounding the college often offer student discounts for access to eating, shopping and entertainment in the area.

What are the benefits of attending a suburban college?

If your student is looking, as mine was, for the benefits of an urban college in a suburban environment, this would be an excellent choice. In a suburban college you can enjoy the benefits of an urban college experience but escape to the comfort of a college that feels more like home, usually surrounded by nature and part of a local community. Essentially, you get the best of both experiences.

For my daughter, her small college in a suburban area was the perfect fit. Coming from a small high school in a midsize city, the large population in New York City and the overwhelming size of the colleges she applied to would have swallowed her up. When homesickness set in, as it always does, her tight knit community rallied around her and helped her through.

If your student needs more support or feels a smaller, suburban environment would suit them better, this type of college might be the perfect fit.