One of the most heart-rending cries I hear from high school seniors this time of year is “how do I find the right college or university for me?” closely followed by “what is the right major for me?” In both cases the students are so afraid of making a mistake they cannot make a decision, they are essentially frozen by fear and indecision.
This fear I find is dealt with in two ways: the student avoids the decision entirely driving both their parents and guidance counselors crazy, or they obsess over the decision spending way too much time researching and asking every one they see “what college should I attend? Or what should I major in?”
When I have a student that has reached this point (usually starting the end of October), I tell them “There is no right college or university for you; you are so talented many colleges and universities are right for you.” All through kindergarten and into the senior year, our students are taught only one right answer exists and the wrong answer is punished by a poor test grade which can become a poor class grade affecting the student’s college opportunities. Removing the “one answer is right” mentality frees the student from the fear of making a mistake.
Choosing a career direction (notice direction, not job) should be the first step. I have my students ask their parents what the parents think the student should pursue. Parents have had 17 to 18 years of observations and are usually more accurate than personality, skill, and interest profiles (though these are invaluable for student’s whose parents are still in the “stupid” stage). Does the student like math or history; does the student like to be indoors or outdoors? What activities did the student pursue and why? Once these things are brought to light, a career direction can be chosen. Maybe that direction is science, or teaching, or agriculture. Don’t stress over the particular job yet.
Once your student starts in a particular college or department, they will soon learn if a certain specialty is “right” for them. For many students, career opportunities exist that they hadn’t heard of until they attended college. Remember how much your student changed between freshman and senior year? They will change at least that much throughout college. Let your student know she is allowed to change her mind.
Now, find colleges and universities that offer this direction. Make a list of those colleges and universities that excel in the desired area: teaching, business, or engineering for example. You can find these lists using most any search engine. Don’t just rely on hearsay or college hype, many under-promoted gems can be found at professional organization websites as well as program rankings.
Then determine how far your student wants to be from home. I figure if the college is more than a one day drive, the college may as well be a 4 or 5 day drive because you will fly and that only takes a day. Don’t let distance scare you. This fear may eliminate a great school. With cell phones and email (and all the other instant communication) mom and dad are closer than you think.
Don’t forget to factor in weather and surroundings. A student from Virginia may freeze up north. A student from western Kansas may find the trees in the east suffocating. Determine what other things are important: skiing and snowboarding require mountains and snow, marine biology needs to be near the ocean, and geology is more fun with rock formations.
Price needs to be considered. Though student loans are available to all and parent loans are offered to make up the shortfall, don’t mortgage your student’s future and your retirement for a particular college. I ask my students to determine how much they can expect to earn when they graduate and then develop a budget. Seeing the difference a huge student loan payment can make in a family budget helps determine if the college or university is “worth it.”
Your student should have a list of 8 or more colleges and universities. Rank them from “I would love to attend here” to “I will go only because it is better than staying home”. Start filling out the applications from the top. Your only concern now is getting the applications done and paying for college.
