I don’t know what to major in and am still not sure what my prospective job will look like though I do know I want to get an MBA after undergrad.
my chances of getting into a school that ED to are fairly high given my “credentials” (admirable gpa/sat scores/EV/etc). my college consultant is telling me that i should ED to at least one of my top choices but the thing is it’s a lot harder to choose because I don’t know what I want to do and don’t wanna jump into if it’s not a place I want to go to completely. help?
Do not ED unless you know that this place is absolutely your first choice, and that your family expects it to be affordable given the results of that institution’s Net Price Calculator.
Of course your consultant wants you to apply ED! If you get in and it is affordable, her work is done and she can move on to the next student she is helping.
Check if the school has a binding ED- if not, you can apply ED and still not make up your mind until later, after you hear back fro your other top choices. If yes, then do not ED. You want to carefully consider and pick a college, not just rush into it and end up at one.
You should only apply ED if you have a clear first choice school, but not knowing your major or prospective job is fine. Part of what college is about is exploration so you can figure those things (majors and jobs) out. In fact, I’m a big fan of LACs where you don’t even declare a major until spring of the sophomore year.
In terms of jobs, my group of friends turned out to include an English major who went to med school, a history major who went to get an MBA, a political science major who went to get an MBA, a political science major who received a PHD in economics, a history major who went on to a master’s in education, as well as bio major who went to med school and a political science major who went to law and public policy schools.
Go to a great school, apply yourself, get a great education, and the rest will follow.
What can you do that would help you decide if you are ‘all in’ or not? ED is helpful in lots of way (esp. if you don’t need to compare financial aid offers) so it’s not just a ploy by the counselor to get out of having to do more work.
Have you visited your top choices? Looked at the college catalogs in subjects you might want to major in? Read the student newspapers to get a feel for the vibe?
I don’t hear any credentials that help you ED–athletic recruit, legacy, being a little weaker stats wise, but committed…
If you apply ED and get in you are going there. Is that the situation you want to be in? If not then do not ED. Some people do want to see their offers and think it over, there is some forced maturing between the fall and spring. My dd did one EA, so got to just really narrow down the focus between that school and the few she ended up applying to. She thought the EA school was going to be the one but in the end it wasn’t so it was a good thing it was not ED.
Since you aren’t coming off as one of those desperate prestige seekers, maybe you are more comfortable with RD and having some choices. I’m not sure why your major or career is such a factor. Most HS people don’t really understand the varied possibilities out there.
I don’t think it’s a good idea to ED to a school you’re not 100% about–if you get in, after all, matriculation is binding. Doing so sounds like a recipe for regret and frustration down the road.
You’re paying good money to a college consultant. I’m hoping that means you’ve researched the person’s credentials and are confident in his/her abilities.
Why ask your questions to a bunch of unknowns – many of whom are kids in your grade, with no experience in this matter-- as opposed to that well paid college consultant?
Do your homework, come up with a list of pros and cons for your top choices. Then bring them back to that well paid college consultant and have a conversation.