Drafting Your College “Wish List”
What Do You Want Out of Your College Experience?
This sounds like a simple question, but it’s something that you need to start thinking about long before you set foot on campus. In fact, you need to start asking yourself this question (and others) before you even start filling out those applications for admission.
Whether you’ve got your hopes set on an Ivy League school or you’re looking into other top-ranked schools in the United States, the application process for each will be time-consuming and expensive, so you want to narrow your choices down as much as possible.
Plus — and this is critical — you want your college experience to be the right fit for your energy, your vibe, your needs and your goals. That takes planning. Here’s where to start:
- Decide What You Don’t Want
Sometimes, it’s a lot easier to decide what you don’t want in a college. Do you hate small, rural areas? Cross off any schools that are in those kinds of places. Not interested in schools with a heavy emphasis on “Greek Life”? Cross those off, too. Don’t want a school that is big enough to be its own city? Cross off all but the smaller and mid-sized schools that remain. That should help you narrow down your choices considerably.
- Consider the Three Cs
Campus life, classes and community are the three big “Cs” of college life. Most of your wish list should focus on these three things.
Take the time to consider the following questions:
- What does your ideal classroom look like? Do you like big, anonymous lecture halls or small, intimate classrooms?
- What kind of a program do you need for your major? Do you need a program that heavily pushes real-world experience so you’re ready to launch your career? Do you want a more academic program that is designed to give you a foundation for graduate studies?
- What does your ideal campus housing look like? Are there single rooms or suites that you have to share with strangers?
- What are the amenities on the campus itself? What places can you go to study? What campus activities do they have? How far away is the nearest town? What’s the crime rate?
- What sort of community and resources do you need? Are there other students there from your own culture or country? Is there a diverse student body? What sports or extracurricular opportunities are there?
Take some time with these questions. Look at college brochures and websites while you’re at it so that you can get a real feel for what sort of campus atmosphere makes you excited — and what turns you off.
- Separate Your Wish List Into Wants And Needs
Look at your wish list and prioritize each item. Then, separate them into wants versus needs.
For example, you may need a school with a thriving arts program or special scientific research opportunities — because those will help you develop your talents and get the degree you want. You may want a school on the West Coast where the weather is warm all year. You may need a school that has a small student-teacher ratio because that’s how you learn best, but you may want a school that has a great lacrosse team.
If you’re really lucky, you’ll end up admitted to the perfect school: one that suits your personality and has everything on your wish list. In reality, you may have to settle for a school that has everything you need and most of what you want.
Now that you have your “wish list” in order, it’s time to consult with your guidance counselor or mentor and start figuring out which schools best fit your goals.
