<p>Sup all, I want to give some background info.</p>
<p>I started my college search as a sophmore, high school had already gotten boring, parties had gotten repetitive (how many different times can you throw a ball into a cup with the same people week after week) , and I was really looking onto bigger and better things. I started compiling a list early on and now two years later I’m landing back at home from orientation of THE best school on the planet (USC). Some people will disagree (you’d be wrong :P) that this isn’t the perfect school, but asking any of us orientees or sc students will prove that you are wrong. Does that make us better than you? Well yes, but for the sake of this argument let’s say no :p. </p>
<p>But really, my school is perfect for ME, and that’s what’s truly going to matter. The excitement you feel from a school that has people that WANT to be there is evident. I imagine many ivy league students and other top 30 school students can tell you the difference between people who WANT to be there and people who are going there for a hidden agenda. Right?</p>
<p>Let me ask all the people ALREADY in school, how did you know your school was right? Let me guess…</p>
<li><p>All the professor’s legitamentaly love their jobs, the school and campus. Most of our professors would literally go out of their way to sit with us at lunch or make us comfortable.</p></li>
<li><p>All the students have a fierce pride in their school.</p></li>
<li><p>All the students are intelligent in ONE crucial way. They are self assured of their knowledge and it creates an intellectual atmosphere without someone having to “state” how smart everyone is, you just get it and move on, It’s so great to be talking to someone with baggie jeans and a BAPE hoodie thats a nuclear physicist or some scantily dressed girl thats actually a Biochemist. The uncertainty is so great because you NEVER know what type of people you will meet, but you know they will love being here.</p></li>
<li><p>The community goes out of their way to help you, though I’m not a fan of some of the top 30 schools, I have to say that most of the schools up there cultivate an environment where students can feel not only welcome, but as if the university WANTED them there and that they NEED them there to add that unique flavor to campus.</p></li>
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<p>So can you only find these things at a top 5 school, or even a top 30 school?</p>
<p>ABSOLUTELY NOT. </p>
<p>You need to find a school that will make you feel exactly these things. It needs to embrace the students, but more importantly you need to want to go there. I can’t tell you the amount of people talking about how they were considering paying up to $1200 an extra credit just to take extra lectures and seminars. We had a Slam poet that inspired so many people that many wanted to join the Visions and Voices program and take extra classes during breaks/summer. </p>
<p>I can now say this with complete certainty, and I’m sure parents and happy students at their schools will concur:</p>
<p>YOU MUST LIKE YOUR SCHOOL IN ORDER TO TRULY MAKE THE BEST OF THE NEXT FOUR YEARS.</p>
<p>Please guys, don’t go to a school where you think, “Oh well I need to go here to make alot of money.” You will be extremely disappointed, but more importantly you miss that first year at a school where you probably would have been a lot happier. I really want everyone to have that same feeling I did stepping down on campus and realizing that this is exactly where you dreamed of being. The rankings literally mean absolutely nothing, I really feel like an idiot for even allowing them to affect my decision. Trust me, NO ONE, I mean NO ONE, runs around saying, “Hey isn’t it so great our school is ranked # x, yea let’s go boast to common citizens about it”, because in all reality, besides high schoolers, who the hell do college rankings matter to? Some people say professionals, but most job services look more at the person, and they generally don’t take every ranking literally but just as a general rule.</p>
<p>Edit:</p>
<p>So how can you determine where is right for you? Narrow it down using the following tools:</p>
<li><p>Don’t choose a school based on one major if the other majors aren’t that strong, there’s no telling what you will choose in the future. A solid academic reputation in general is preferred over a solid reputation in one field unless you are absolutely positive you want that job.</p></li>
<li><p>Find a school with a social life. That doesn’t mean it has to be parties, but what that means it that the students are interested in doing other things besides work. This is crucial. People always assume schools like Harvard are praised for just academics, but their students also do things outside of the class tha really bolster its rep.</p></li>
<li><p>Don’t go ANYWHERE just because a friend or someone you know tells you to. These are your next four years, and if you find a place that has an atmosphere that you like and people you enjoy then you’d be a fool to give it up for someone else.</p></li>
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<p>Later all, and just two more months fellow seniors, two more months…</p>