What Makes a Great College Match?
“Just as in relationships, there’s more than one potential match out there if you remain open to possibilities. There’s no perfect person or college. But there are some very good schools (and people) that offer opportunities for growth and satisfaction.”
One student may love the non-competitive academic atmosphere she finds at Haverford College that makes learning enjoyable. Another student may praise the intense competition at UC-San Diego, which motivates her to do her best work. Both of these students have done their research homework and made good matches at two great schools. But these schools may not be great for every student.
When students are in an environment where they feel good about themselves, they’re more likely to be successful academically and socially. That seems so obvious. But in this time of high anxiety about college admission, students and parents often pursue the most popular colleges and lose sight of whether those schools are the best matches for them.
Just as in relationships, there’s more than one potential match out there if you remain open to possibilities. There’s no perfect person or college. But there are some very good schools (and people) that offer opportunities for growth and satisfaction.
Self-assessment is crucial to making a good match. If you don’t know what you’re looking for, chances are you won’t find it. While grades and possibly test scores are major factors in college admission, it’s important to use your heart as well as your head to find the right school. This means thinking about what kind of college experience you want.
A student who is more motivated by intellectual curiosity than grades might like Reed College, where students have to ask if they want to know their grades. Or St. John’s College with its Great Books curriculum. Evergreen State College hands out grades with narrative evaluations, not actual grades.
Someone who likes to get totally immersed in a subject might like Colorado College or Cornell College (in Iowa), which operate on a block plan, where students take a single subject for three and a half weeks.
For students who do well when they like their teachers, but lose motivation if the teacher doesn’t inspire them, it might be important to find a college with small classes, where professors and students form close relationships.
There are many non-academic factors that contribute to a student’s happiness in college. A green, lush environment can be soothing and lower stress levels. But some students thrive on the excitement of an urban environment. Schools like George Washington University, Northeastern University and NYU offer all the cultural resources of great cities, as well as opportunities for internships at government agencies, theater companies and corporations. The downside is that all this involvement in the city means there’s less of a sense of community on campus.
Social life is a major part of the college experience, and it’s important to find a school where there are people who share some interests and values. A student who likes being around artsy people might be drawn to Bard College. A basketball fanatic might head for Duke University, where students camp out for days to get tickets for games.
It takes a little more time and effort, but students who clarify their educational goals, values and interestsare more likely to find a school that will allow them to grow and realize their potential, as well as enjoy their college years.