How to Pick the Best College for You
How to pick the best college for you, or how to help your student pick the right college, if you are a parent.
It’s the time of year when college decisions are rolling in and many students (and parents) feel the excitement of getting accepted to their top choice colleges. But, many also feel the pressure to decide which school is ultimately the best option for them or their student in the long run.
Having helped tons of parents and students make this decision in the past, I am here as an expert in college admission and career counseling to help you figure this out!
So, first point of note: no one college is best for anyone.
That includes the Ivy League schools, think Princeton, Harvard, Yale, UPenn, Columbia, etc.
Many people, parents and students included, fall for a name-brand, thinking that these are the best or only options. This happens for several reasons:
Lack of research- sometimes it’s because there hasn’t been enough research into what options exist.
Name bias- this happens when people consistently hear good things about a college/university and/or a university pops up as being top-rated in the news or publications.
Top Rated Schools
What does it mean to be a top-tier school? What defines a top rated school? What matters most in the decision process? Why would I want to attend a school that’s not top rated?
Well, let’s answer these, but not in order.
No, no one should want to attend a school that’s not top rated. If you’re serious about your college education, and if you aren’t then you shouldn’t be attending college, then yes, you should want to attend a school that is top rated. But, what does that mean?
This is a little more challenging because this is going to be different for everyone. Each student needs to figure out what is most important when determining the best college for them. To give you some ideas of what I recommend students and parents consider, here is a list I give many people in order of importance as I see them:
Overall fit of institution- you need to make sure that the institution
Student comfort level- one of my biggest beliefs is that students need to feel at home where ever they are going to spend the next 4 years of their life, so even if a school checks all of the other boxes, rule it out of it doesn’t feel comfortable for your student.
Size based on student’s needs- yes, some students do better at small schools, while others are much more successful at larger institutions. Think about your student’s personality and the social settings where they thrive, that will be your answer.
Major options- make sure it not only has your student’s major, but a wide range of other majors (just in case they change their mind down the road).
Location- setting, distance from home, preferred climate, etc.
Campus activity options
Sports
On time graduation rate- yes, you want to know if students there are likely (or not) to graduate on time. The longer you stay, the more you pay. You want to get out in 4 years.
Placement rates for after graduation- what is their placement rate 6 months out from graduation. You want to know what the likelihood of you getting a job after graduation is, and even more importantly, a job in your field. You don’t want to spend all of that money and then not get a job after.
Support services- what do they offer in terms of academic support (tutoring), career placement support (are they going to help you with your resume and job placement, or not so much?), etc.
Average cost of attendance- keep in mind, this is different than the sticker price, this is specifically what the average student pays after grants, scholarships, etc (be mindful that this also might include loans and those may be necessary but can be a stressor for your future).
Student opportunities- this could be a number of things depending on what your student is interested in:
Internship opportunities
Research opportunities
Work on campus opportunities
Many schools will have similar resources in many of these categories, however, the ones to look for significant differences are on-time graduation rates, placement rates, average cost of attendance, and student opportunities. However, the best rates in all of these areas will only do so much for a student who doesn’t take advantage and be proactive to get more student opportunities.
So, what is the key to helping your student pick the best college for them? Let me tell you:
See those nice bullet points, just up there ☝️? Read them and remember them.
Look at all of the colleges your student was accepted to and answer those questions for each school. Jot this information down some where so you can refer to it.
Compare.
Compare again. (if you still aren’t settled on a school then continue on to the following steps)
Narrow it down to a top 3 list!
Visit those 3.
Make notes as your are leaving each school, thoughts, feelings, facts that stuck out to you.
Compare for the last time.
In my experience, the most important thing is what a student is willing to put into their education. Yes, I have this listed last in my list because I think that as long as the institutions offer some opportunities than a student who is proactive will take advantage of them. But, are they going to chase an internship or just wait to see if one falls in their lap (just as a head’s up, that likely won’t happen!)? Are they going to get involved in activities and possible take leadership roles? Will they volunteer or do some job shadowing in the town or city where the college is located?
I’ve seen students who attended average universities in terms of overall ranking go on to accomplish huge successes because they were willing to seek out opportunities and took advantage of everything they could while completing their undergraduate degrees.
I’ve also seen students attend the “most prestigious” of universities and maintain the minimum grades and skip out on opportunities and they struggled to even find a job after graduating.
Just like everything else in life, you will get out what you put in when it comes to your college education and experience. And if you put in the work and you take advantage of opportunities and seek them out then you will be successful no matter what school you attend.
If you’d like more tips on making the most of your college experience, be on the lookout for my upcoming blog post on it.
I hope you’ve found this helpful and I wish you the best of luck in your writing process. If you are looking for more information, please visit my website- Higher & Hire. If I can be of assistance to you, please reach out to me here.
Many Thanks!
