If you're just beginning the College Search and Selection Process, here's a piece that I've written to help guide you along the way.

ESTABLISHING A FOUNDATION FOR THE SEARCH 

Imagine that it is a year or so from now and you are attending the college of your choice.  You are on your way back to the dorm from a late-night talk with a friend.  You keep replaying your friend’s words:  “I hate it here.  I can’t imagine why I decided to come here in the first place.  I never really looked into it.  Everyone told me it was a good place for me.  Lots of kids from my high school applied here.  They all knew the name.  The first time I saw the place was when I pulled my suitcase out of the car to move in.  What was I thinking?”

It’s sad that your friend feels like this, but you don’t feel the same way.  You like it here.  Sure, there are times when you miss your friends from high school, your room at home, and a home-cooked meal, but the decision you made about choosing this college feels more right to you every day.  What made the difference? You ask yourself.

 Maybe it was the way I approached looking at colleges in the first place and the questions I asked myself.  I remember my sophomore year English Teacher saying, “The reason I am so intent on the amount of reading I ask you to do for this class is to prepare you for the expectations that college will place on you.  You’re all heading in that direction, and we have a responsibility to give you the kind of foundation you’ll need to succeed.”  I began to think:  Am I headed in that direction?

It was obvious to my English teacher that I was going to college, it seemed obvious to most of the kids in the class with me, and, of course, it was obvious to my parents.  But was that what I wanted to do with my life? I spent time figuring this one out.  I looked at alternatives, went to guidance with a couple of friends, and did an interest inventory and a career search.

The decision was coming down to me—no one else could make it for me.  I asked myself some hard questions.  What did I want to achieve with a college diploma?  Would I go to college to broaden my knowledge or to get specific training?  Was I smart enough to handle college? How hard did I want to work? What did I do well?  What were my strengths?  And my weaknesses?  How did I feel about learning?  Were there things I really liked learning about?  What mattered to me?  What were my values? What kind of place would reflect my values? Could I be self-directed enough to accomplish four years of college?  Would I be ready to go to college right after high school?  Was I thinking about college for the financial rewards or to gain a profession?  The self-evaluation wasn’t easy.  I envied those kids around me who seemed to know from birth what they wanted to do.

Sometime during that self-exploration, I decided that yes, college really was my choice, too.  Once I had made the decision, it felt right.

1.  Academics come first           4.  Form a Team: Parents, Counselor, Teachers 

2.  Watch your deadlines           5.  Use Your Resources:  Guidance, Career Center

3.  Stay organized                       6.  Narrow your college choices to:  25 and final to 6-8