<p>Oh, if it's any consolation to hear about procrastinators-- S started to really look at all the college guides right around FEBRUARY! of his senior year. What a time to get interested in comparing schools. </p>
<p>I had to bite my tongue to not say 'why didn't you do that earlier?" I guess if he had found a place that was super interesting, we would have re-grouped, but he didn't change his mind.</p>
<p>Sometimes when kids are early in the process, it's easier for them to identify what they don't want in a school rather than what they do want. This approach worked for our family.</p>
<p>Because DS scored high enough on his PSAT to be a probably NM commended student, he had to select two colleges for NMSC recommendation. We spoke about it and he narrowed down the choices in a reasonable manner (the alleged "cute" girls at one helped!). </p>
<p>I think he'll be more focused after seeing 3 schools in June, and I'm finding that me backing off even a little has really helped our conversations. Thanks for all the insight, and I'm happy to know I'm not alone.</p>
<p>Here is my suggestion:
I created index cards with each of the following on them.
(We are in Chicago, and we're Jewish, so some of the cards are written from the perspective of what we consider near and far and what religious preference might be an important consideration. You can easily adapt this list to your own needs.)</p>
<p>I had my rising sophs each take these cards and sort them into piles:
Must Have
Would Really Like to Have
Nice, but Not Critical
Don't Care
Don't Want, But Could Live With
Absolutely Don't Want At All</p>
<hr>
<p>From what they put in their top piles, that opened the discussion as to what interests them -- and that way you can share your knowledge, but from the perspective of what fits their expressed needs.</p>
<p>Here's the list:</p>
<p>Small size (under 5000 students)
Medium size (5000-15000)
Large size (15000+)
Lots of students just like me
Lots of diversity - not just students like me
In a rural area
In a suburban area
In / near a small city (like Indianapolis, Iowa City)
In / near a medium-sized city (like St. Louis, Minneapolis, Seattle)
In / near a big city (like Chicago, Boston, NY, LA, Phila, San Fran)
In / near a very unique city like New Orleans or Portland, Oregon
In a college town that is really geared towards students
Campus is small / easily walkable
Campus is large
Must live on-campus all 4 years
Can live off-campus after freshman year
Has really neat architecture
Has typical college dorms
Has dorms that are more high-rise / apartment style
Has a Greek system, but not very big
Has a big Greek system, most students are in it
Has no Greek system or a very small one
Has a big party scene
Has only a few students from my area
Has hardly anyone from my area going there
Student body is mostly wealthy
Student body is a mix of all income levels
Student body is preppy
Student body is less concerned with style / image
Student body is known for dressing well / being stylish
Student body is mostly from the suburbs
Student body is mostly white -- not a lot of diversity
Students have unique interests - not just cookie-cutter
Students have mainstream interests
Students are more on the serious, quiet side
There is a big drinking scene
Students love to party
Students are really dedicated to their studies
Students are very intellectual / like to think about things
Offers a really wide range of majors and classes
Students are mostly heading to grad school (business, law, medicine, etc.)
Students are mostly heading to work / corporate world after college
Students are relaxed, easygoing
Students are known for balancing work and play
Has a lot of athletes
Has students from all over the country
A lot of student diversity -- kids from other countries and different ethnicities
Kind of place where students feel really loyal to it
Kind of place where students keep to themselves
Has a lot of sports to watch (football, basketball, etc.)
Is a top sports school -- other people know their teams
Has a lot of school spirit
Has a lot of sports to play (intramurals)
Students typically don't care about sports
Has lots of things for students to do (like a student center, etc.)
Has a strong Jewish presence
Has a moderate Jewish presence
Has very few Jewish students -- will be unusual to be Jewish
Has opportunities for Jewish life (clubs, etc.)
In an area I want to eventually live in
Students who go here tend to stay in this area after graduating
Is well known -- most people will have heard of it
Is well known among people who know about colleges but average person may not have heard of it
Is ranked high nationally
Students are very competitive with each other
Students aren't competitive -- really help each other out
Is near other colleges so I can take classes / meet other kids from nearby colleges
Has mostly small classes
Has a mixture of small and large lecture classes
Has an involved faculty
Has a lot of opportunities to do research / interact / work for faculty
Campus is in a city / downtown environment -- all the activities of a city are steps away
Campus is in a neighborhood type environment
Campus is in a wooded / forest area
Campus is in a rural area but not wooded
Campus is in an area with a lot of natural beauty, waterfalls, etc
Campus is in a flat part of the country
Campus is in a hilly part of the country
Campus is on / near an ocean, lake or river
Campus is on / near mountains / skiing
Campus is very picturesque / beautiful
Campus has really old charming buildings
Campus has newer, more modern buildings
Weather has all four seasons (like Chicago or NY) -- will get snow
Weather is moderate all the time (like in Seattle or San Francisco)
Weather is warm / hot all the time (like LA or New Orleans or Florida)
The area / city is very progressive and liberal (like Seattle, Portland or Austin, Texas)
The area / city is very conservative (like parts of the south)
There are a lot of colleges in the immediate area (like Boston or Philadelphia)
Students tend to do everything on campus / rarely go off campus
Students can easily go off campus / into a town (like Evanston)
Students stay on campus on weekends
Students go out to nearby towns / cities on weekends
Students go home on weekends
The town / city right around the campus has a lot to do
Easy to go walking / hiking / camping / outdoor activities nearby
Close to home
Far from home
Really far from home :-)
Can drive there easily from home (within a 6 hour drive - like Minneapolis, Indianapolis, St. Louis)
Need to fly there (like the coasts)
Other students from my high school often choose this college
Specializes in what I want to study - and only that
Offers a lot of different options
Is a liberal arts school -- with general education requirements
Does not require me to take general education courses
Gives me chance to study abroad / overseas / do exchange programs
Requires me to study abroad / do exchange programs
Gives me chance to do internships
Will serve me well if I want to go to grad school, law school, med school, etc.
Has graduate programs as well
Campus is in a part of the country I have always been interested in
Has a lot of unique traditions special to that school
Really good programs in English / writing / journalism
Really good programs in history / political science / psychology
Really good programs in math
Really good programs in science
Really good programs in the arts (filmmaking, TV, radio, theater, etc.)
Really good programs in foreign languages
Really good programs in something else that interests me
Is in a very specific part of the country (write in what that is)</p>