Applying to college is a matchmaking process and should be taken seriously by students and their families. Unfortunately, many students do not invest the time and energy into doing the necessary research required to make a compatible college list. With over 3,500 universities in the US alone, the options are overwhelming. Students should approach the task of creating their college list based on the philosophy of finding the proper “fit.” Each student is unique, as is each university. There is an over-reliance on rankings and emphasis on a university’s reputation, which should be factored into the college selection process, but not drive it. The multiple personal factors that make a student unique as an individual – not just their academic goals – should be taken into consideration when making what is probably the most important decision of his young adult life.
Where to start?
I would advise you to encourage your children to apply to between eight and twelve colleges. They must keep in mind that their college lists must be realistic. While they may aspire to graduate from Harvard or MIT, they have to honestly assess their chances of admission. All American colleges release admissions statistics and publish their acceptance rates, GPAs, and SAT scores for admitted students. Universities will release the 25th and 75th percentiles for SATs of admitted incoming freshmen, which is an easy way for aspiring applicants to see how they compare to students that have actually been admitted. If your children’s SAT scores are not within the middle 50th percentile of accepted students, they will have a very difficult time of being accepted. All students must take an objective view of their academic record – primarily their grades and standardized test scores – and see how it compares to those of admitted students.
Students’ college list should fall into three distinct categories of schools: high chance of admission, moderate chance of admission, andlow chance of admission. Ideally, your children should have at least four admissions offers from which to choose in the springtime. Regardless of the strength of their academic record, schools such as Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford will always be low chance of admission schools for almost every applicant. Harvard rejects more high school valedictorians than it has places for freshmen class every year. Strategies such as applying to every school in the Ivy League are not only time consuming, but counter-productive. You should encourage you children to prepare a college list that is a reflection of their values and goals, as well as their personality.
When to start?
Encourage your children to start planning at least a year in advance of university application deadlines. This will allow them to be much better prepared than their peers. The process of applications is long and time-consuming; students need time to take the standardized tests, craft essays and give teachers enough information to complete insightful recommendations. Visiting colleges is also an important step in this process. Summer gives you an excellent opportunity to visit colleges with your children and make a preliminary list of universities to apply to. Ideally, if it is possible, try and visit the colleges when regular classes are in session. This gives students the opportunity to interact with current university students and professors. To find the right college, visiting universities, in order to get a feel for the environment, the location, and people, is a crucial step. In order to have the time to do this, you and your children must start to prepare in advance.
Choosing the right school
There are numerous factors to take into consideration when creating a college list. Here are the top ones.
Size
American universities can range from a few hundred students per class to tens of thousands of students per class. Arizona State University in the US has over 70,000 students. Students enrolled in large public universities, such as University of Texas, Austin and UCLA, have access to seemingly limitless facilities, but this may not be right for your child. The larger the university, the larger the average class size will be. Imagine being enrolled in a basic Microeconomics course with 800 other students. The professor will give the lectures, but will not likely know a student’s name. Most of the tuition will actually be done by teaching assistants, who are graduate students pursuing advanced degreesat the university, through weekly sections of approximately 25 students. Students at larger universities typically receive less personalized support and attention from the university itself than from smaller institutions. I tend to guide my students towards smaller schools, where they benefit from smaller class sizes, as well as a more intimate learning experience. Studying abroad and living away thousands of miles from family can be very stressful and overwhelming for even the most well traveled and prepared students.
Geography
Geography is an extremely important factor that very often is not taken into consideration. Urge your child to consider questions like: Do you want to study in a city or near a city or in a suburban campus? How close is the campus to an international airport? What is the area like around the campus? What type of neighborhood is the college located in?
Weather is also very important. Being raised in Dubai, your child may not want to spend six months of the year in a New England winter. In this case, a university on the West Coast might be a better option. If your teenager is intent on studying Marine Biology, they may want to enroll in a university located on the water, in a coastal city, in order to carry out field research. Cornell University, an Ivy League school, is located in Ithaca, New York, hours away from a major metropolitan area. Is your child a city person? If he is, he may not be happy being geographically isolated in a rural campus.
The town or city the college is located in could also be important. Is there family nearby? Would your son/daughter prefer a university with a large campus or one in a city like New York University, which does not have a centralized campus? Proximity of amenities could be a factor as well. Is your child an avid golfer? If so,a university near a golf course might be preferable. Can she not live away from the water? Think about these factors before applying.
Academics
Universities have different academic strengths and many of the best ones may not appear at the top of the US News College Rankings List. Universities with national reputations may not have particularly strong departments in the field of study your child wants to pursue, so adequate research before applying is necessary. Schools like Harvey Mudd in California, for example, actually produce Engineering PhDs at a higher rate than MIT. Johns Hopkins University has the preeminent Biomedical Engineering program in the country. You must encourage your children to venture beyond the rankings and become a student of universities before applying. As a college student, your child will be spending four years of their life and you would possibly spend over one million AED on their education. Therefore, parents and students should be fully informed of the academic strengths of the university beforehand. Not all universities, for example, offer undergraduate business degrees. Out of the eight Ivy League universities, only two do. Not every university may offer a major in Petrochemical Engineering. Conducting due diligence is necessary before applying.
The type of college can also play a factor in choosing schools. Is your teenager looking at a technical university or liberal arts college? If they know what they would like to do in the future, as a career or profession, encourage them to factor this in as well. For example, Johns Hopkins undergraduates are accepted to Medical School at a rate twice that of the national average. Tufts University has an excellent program in Diplomacy and Foreign Affairs. Colorado School of Mines has the preeminent Petrochemical Engineering program in the US. The educational philosophy of colleges also varies widely. Some universities have a very rigid core curriculum required of all students, regardless of their major, while others allow students to create their own major and have absolutely zero specific course requirements for graduation.
Culture
Each university has a distinct culture that impacts the lives of its students on a daily basis. Do you know that some universities have very strong religious affiliations? What is the quality of life like? What percentage of students enrolled come from foreign countries? Are there single gender dormitories available? Do students at a particular institution have a good work-life balance or is the university known strictly for its academic rigor? Universities, like their students, have personalities; it is important that your child contemplate if their personality “fit” with the schools they are applying to? It should.
Extra-Curricular Activities
Along with culture, the different activities present at the university can be a huge factor for many prospective students. A university with a well-known sports, dance, or theater program could be major selling points for particular students, especially if these activities form an important part of their lives. The college they choose will become their home for the next four years and they should try to find a university that accommodates their preference of culture, courses, and activities. Depending on their priorities, a college with a good “fit” could be one, which might not be the best academically but has a fantastic music program. When visiting colleges, do not just look at classrooms, visit the dormitories, the Athletics center, the dining hall, and the library.
Resources
The best way to research universities is online and, if possible, to visit them in person. In the internet age, you have access to university websites, virtual tours, and an array of resources that allow you to develop a good understanding of what student life is like, before applying and enrolling. I recommend the Fiske Guide to Colleges to my students, which is an incredible resource and very accurate in its descriptions of university life. Websites such as the College Board, College Prowler, and College Confidential are also excellent and free. However, nothing can replace the value of an actual visit. When your child steps foot on campus, they should feel like they belong and that they have arrived home. They must consider things like: Where is the social life centered on? Does the surrounding area have cool cafes and restaurants? What counseling resources are avilable? These are all important factors when applying to college.
Conclusion
Creating a college list is an exciting process and one in which students can tailor their search to a set of institutions that are truly right for them. With thousands of options available, and with the proper preparation and guidance, there is no doubt that motivated and informed students will find a university at which they truly belong.
The options are vast and it can seem daunting, but this is not an impossible task. Persuade your children to start early. I would recommend that they sit down and make a list of what is important to them, from the factors we discussed. After narrowing these down, they should start researching colleges that reflect these characteristics. We, at Carian College Advisors, help with every step of the process and will guide you and your child through research, preparation, selection, and application. We have a team of experienced American university professionals with relevant firsthand admissions experience, education, and knowledge. We do not accept commissions from universities and only work in the best interests of students and their families. We also utilize a proprietary online platform to manage the process and interact with parents and students, the only one of its kind in the region. Applying to American colleges is challenging and over 26% of high-achieving US high school students applying to college utilize the services of independent educational consultants. Let Carian College Advisors be your guide.