Six tips for picking a college
When Casey Near was a teenager attending a California prep school, she got swept along in a river of high expectations.
She, like many high school students, felt pressure to apply to prestigious colleges.
Ultimately, she ended up traveling more than 2,800 miles east to the University of Pennsylvania in western Philadelphia. But when she arrived on the Ivy League campus, she almost immediately sensed it wasn’t going to work out.
“I quickly realized that it was not a good fit at all,” says Near, who transferred to Scripps College in Southern California, where she thrived. She even become a campus tour guide, or “professional backward walker,” as she calls it.
That piece of personal history is part of the reason she chose her current career as an independent college counselor, she says.
Near works for Collegewise, a worldwide network of about 40 advisers who (for a fee) help high school students navigate the tricky work of picking a college. Over time, Collegewise counselors have helped more than 10,000 students find a good college home. Based in Boston now, Near works with kids across the country to find colleges that match them geographically, economically and academically.
In an interview this week, Near offered these six tips to help Chattanooga area high school students sharpen their college search skills.
› Know yourself. Instead of overreaching to please others, Near says college-bound high school kids should take an inventory of what works well for them now.
“Ask yourself, ‘What do I really gravitate toward [now]? How do I succeed?’” she says.
If, for instance, a student thrives on class participation in high school, a smaller college — perhaps with a tighter student-teacher ratio — might be a good fit. Also, think practically, she says. For a student who has never used public transportation, navigating an urban campus might be a nightmare.
› Consider cost. Since the Great Recession, students — and parents — have been more focused on college value, Near says. With the cost of college tuition going up, people want to get the greatest bang for their buck.
Still, too many students eliminate colleges and
universities they perceive as too expensive, she says. The “sticker price” of tuition is often just a starting point, she says. Depending on meritand need-based financial aid awards, the actual cost of attendance can be much less.
It’s like when you are on an airplane: There are lots of people on there with you, but they all paid different prices for their tickets, she said.
› Don’t box yourself in. While some young people are locked in on a career path, being single-minded as a college freshman can carry its own risks, Near says.
“I see a lot of kids that are struggling with what their career is going to be,” she said. “The American school system is actually built on indecision. … You can absolutely be ‘undecided,’ but you just can’t be uninterested.”
Most college curriculums are built with a two-year foundation of general education classes, so students can take time to pick a major, she said.
› Search out mentors. Studies of college graduates have shown that developing mentorships with faculty members is one of the unexpected benefits of college.
Still, college students must be proactive to take advantage of that perk, Near says.
“Say ‘yes’ to the adults that want to help you,” Near says, noting that it’s up to students to seek out faculty members during their posted office hours.
› Use the internet. When actual visits are impossible, virtual tours online can give you a feel for campus life, Near says.
Visiting local colleges and universities, even if they are not on your “favorites” list, is a good way to establish the difference between the feel of small campuses and large ones, she says.
Too, the College Board offers an online tool called “Big Future” that works like a matchmaking tool to align a student’s interests with “good fit” colleges.
› Don’t obsess about test scores. Yes, SAT and ACT scores are important, Near says, but no, they aren’t the final word on college admission.
“More broadly than ever, schools are looking beyond test scores to GPA and how rigorous their [high school] classes were,” she says.
Contact Mark Kennedy at mkennedy@timesfreepress.com or 423-7576645.