Hi everyone,
I am a rising senior whose pushing past the bad senioritis and waiting for the dreaded March 31 April 1 time frame like every other motivated senior. I’m already worried about how I’m going to eventually chose a college, and I’m creating this discussion to get advice from past seniors on how they chose between their many colleges? Is there a process you went through or was it more of a gut feeling?
I am waiting for decisions from a few more schools, but I’ve done it as follows:
- I created a weighted scoring chart, based on factors I care about such as: reputation of program, proximity to a metro area, cost, facilities, fit, weather, etc. Out of 100, I give each factor a maximum potential score. For instance, reputation of program is weighted at 30% for me. I then go through a rather painstaking process of gathering the stats for each school, and assign them to the appropriate category.
It looks something like:
School A: 87.5
School B: 74.5
School C: 73.5
School D: 69.5
School E: 64
etc.
If I would’ve gotten my acceptance from School A by now, I would’ve pulled the trigger immediately. So far I have decisions from my 8th, 5th, and 3rd schools. So if my 1st and 2nd reject me, I know that I will accept the 3rd schools offer. This way I’m not sitting there beating myself up over decisions. I’ve essentially gone through and took a quantitative approach as to which school is right for me. So I’m chillin’.
If you are a rising senior I hope you don’t have senioritis already. Please clarify if you are a senior or junior?
I am a senior and once March 31 and April 1 passes I will begin making my final decision.
For many students, it helps to look at what professors in their desired major have as their specialties at their schools. All else being equal in fit and “good enough to be affordable” finances, I’ve seen this be the deciding factor often. It can be fun having classes with someone who shares a passion even if the “class” is technically the same.
To figure out the passion of professors, it’s often on their page of the school’s website - esp if they also do research.
We created a scoring spreadsheet to help clarify the pros and cons, and my kids went to accepted student visits for their top 2-3 choices. 24 hours on campus when the school is trying to put their best foot forward is very revealing.
These are steps we followed:
–Get admissions and financial packages in hand.
– immediately eliminate unaffordable schools.
– Eliminate any schools that were low down on your list from the start unless there is a amazing merit package that makes it worth another look.
–Look at academic,social (and anything else you care about) fit of the remaining schools.
–Revisit top choices during accepted students day.
Then decide.
Once you have made any financial determinations or other practical considerations which might rule out some colleges, and you are down to only a matter of preference, find out everything you can about each college. Then visit your favorites and see if one “feels” better. That is how I chose mine. Can’t visit? Explore the college in every way you can without visiting.
Still stuck among a final few? Then you might play this game:
Write each college’s name onto a separate index card.
Compare the cards and sort them into an order. The ones you are most excited about go on top, the ones you are least excited about on the bottom. Eliminate any ones you are not excited about.
Unsure among a few? Take two at a time. Imagine saying no to one. How do you feel? Imagine saying yes to that one and no to the other. How do you feel? If you are more sorry to say goodbye to one than the other, then that college “wins” that round.
It goes on to play a round against a different college.
Keep going until you see which college you keep preferring to all the others. Go there.
Good luck!
Also- assuming that finances and majors and relative quality are roughly the same for each of your final choices, you can’t make a “wrong” choice. College will be what you make of it, and your attitude will determine your happiness wherever you go. If you are someone who generally enjoys what you have, once you arrive at college, you soon will love your new college so much that you will find it hard to imagine having chosen a different one.
Forgot to mention but “gut feel” was definitely part of the decision for my kids in the consideration of fit.
We had S do a Pro/Con list of the admitted schools. Paired 8 down to 2. Revisited both and he immediately decided. Happened to be his #2 all along (in terms of favorite - not prestige). 2nd visit really confirmed everything for him.
LIke some have said, I’m basing my decision on overall feel of the school, value (tuition/awards/ROI stats), program offerings, and the level of academic support offered. I’ve narrowed it down to two schools, and I have scheduled admitted student overnights at each. We’ll see. They are currently neck and neck.
I would create a spreadsheet listing all the factors (both academic and non-academic) that are important to you. Try scoring the colleges for each of those factors, using information you already knew and you can find out online. Come up a list of remaining questions and post them on CC. If possible, revisit the colleges and focus on things you’re still not sure about but don’t be dazzled by the shows the colleges may put on.