The Princeton Review has released their annual list of the best party schools in the nation and this year’s winner is…West Virginia University!
Princeton Review conducts an annual survey on the party scene at colleges and judges the schools on the following criteria: use of alcohol and drugs, hours of study each student puts in, and the popularity of Greek life. I guess whichever school scores the most points wins. Read More »
You thought picking a prom date was hard? Try picking a college. It is no easy task. The decision you make will not only affect the next four (or five) years of your life, but will also decide the next 80 or 90! Where you go to college plays a part in determining who your friends will be, what your career will be and maybe even who your husband or wife will be. Where you end up and what kind of person you become may also be chosen based on what college you go to.
Whoa. That’s a lot of pressure.
How do you choose!?
Take a deep breath, grab some soda and relax. Really, it’s easy; you just have to do your work:
1. Ask around: No one knows the college scene better than college students and graduates. So, ask them. They really are the best resource. Find out why they went to a school (Was it sports or social life? Academics or ass?), what they liked and disliked about their school, and tips they may have for you while you spend the next few months deciding. Students and graduates will give you the most honest answers ‘ the stuff you won’t find in a college guide book. Read More »
When I think back to my college search process, I can remember combing through books and magazines that my parents shoved in my face that ranked every aspect of a college from the biggest party school to the average parental income of students. Although I always had my mind set on venturing out of the Midwest and to school in upstate New York, I still enjoyed reading through the miniscule details of schools I had applied to.
Most high school juniors or seniors take a glance at these ratings materials, at least once, in the decision making process. College is a huge, life-changing decision and with tuition constantly increasing, it is so important for everyone involved to make the right choice. For that reason, the information should be completely accurate and credible. Well, it turns out that one ratings system in particular, the U.S. News and World Report, may be a glorified “beauty contest.”
As high school seniors get ready to tackle the unappetizing task of applying to colleges, you should take a look at 'the New Ivies,' according to Newsweek magazine, which claims in a recent story that Harvard, Princeton, Yale, et al., have some heady competition from other schools, each having its unique advantages. If you are at one of these schools, well, good for you. You are smart, indeed. Check out www.msnbc.msn.com for more details.
Boston College ' Boston, MA
Bowdoin College ' Brunswick, ME
Carnegie Mellon ' Pittsburgh, PA
Claremont Colleges ' Harvey Mudd and Pomona ' Claremont, CA
Colby College-Waterville, ME
Colgate University ' Hamilton, NY
Davidson College ' Davidson, NC
Emory University ' Atlanta, GA
Kenyon College ' Gambier, OH
Macalester College ' St. Paul, MN
University of Michigan ' Ann Arbor, MI
New York University ' New York, NY
University of North Carolina ' Chapel Hill, NC
University of Notre Dame ' South Bend, IN
Olin College of Engineering ' Needham, MA
Reed College ' Portland, OR
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ' Troy, N.Y.
Rice University ' Houston, TX
University of Rochester ' Rochester, NY
Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
Tufts University ' Medford, MA
UCLA ' Los Angeles, CA
Vanderbuilt University ' Nashville, TN
University of Virginia ' Charlottesville, VA
Washington University in St. Louis ' St. Louis, MO
You thought picking a prom date was hard? Try picking a college. It is no easy task. The decision you make will not only affect the next four (or five) years of your life, but will also decide the next 80 or 90! Where you go to college plays a part in determining who your friends will be, what your career will be and maybe even who your husband or wife will be. Where you end up and what kind of person you become may also be chosen based on what college you go to.
Whoa. That's a lot of pressure.
How do you choose!?
Take a deep breath, grab some soda and relax. Really, it's easy; you just have to do your work:
1. Ask around: No one knows the college scene better than college students and graduates. So, ask them. They really are the best resource. Find out why they went to a school (Was it sports or social life? Academics or ass?), what they liked and disliked about their school, and tips they may have for you while you spend the next few months deciding. Students and graduates will give you the most honest answers ' the stuff you won't find in a college guide book.
2. Visit the Career Center: Most high schools have one. Most students never step foot in one. Be a trendsetter and head on over to talk to the person in charge. Not only do they love having students come by to keep them from mind-numbing boredom, but they are also experts in all things college and can really help you make a decision. The career center should be the first place you go because they can tell you what you need to do before you choose a school ' applications, financial aid, graduation requirements ' as well as give you hundreds of college catalogs to peruse, study and aid you in your decision-making process.
3. Campus Visits: I know, I know ' you don't want to be that dorky high school senior walking through a cool college campus with your parents and your varsity jacket. How embarrassing! But, visiting a college campus is really the only way to get a feel for a school ' and, trust me, you need to feel it. The college books, websites and catalogs are all great for informational purposes, but they really don't show you what being on a campus is truly like. Going to a school, walking around, visiting classes, seeing the students interact and feeling the spirit of the college experience at each campus plays a huge part in a lot of people's decisions. And, while you are there, don't be embarrassed to ask the tour guide questions; they signed up for the job for a reason and they love talking about their school. So, leave the varsity jacket at home, bring the parents (they will pay for your meals!) and get to campus (all of them!).
4. Read: Books, websites and surveys are a great way to get a lot of general information fast. These are great resources for people who have no clue about what school they may want to go to, or what they are even looking for in a school. The information tends to be a bit skewed (it is promotional material, after all), but it is a great source of facts, stats and data.
5. Surf: New websites like Princeton Review's 'Counselor-O-Matic' (http://www.princetonreview.com)have students fill out a form with their interests and desires for college. Then, based on what each student enters, the program produces a list of schools that match what students are looking for. Genius!
This may seem like a lot of work, but the biggest decisions in life often do take a little sweat. Senioritis may be kicking in right about now, but that is no reason to make this decision lightly. Sure, stop doing your math homework. Fine, skip history every day this week. Just do not, under any circumstances, leave the college choice to fate. The last thing you want is an awful four years followed by an even more miserable 90. College is the best time of your life. It is worth every bit of struggle, hassle and minute spent with your parents on a campus tour.
Any questions? Email Lauren@teamcoed.com.
It wasn't by choice.
I attended an elite boarding school in Massachusetts (via scholarship, thank you very much) for the sole purpose of attending Harvard. I loved Boston, and I had dreams of going to a place where my intelligence would be respected, not mocked.
When I started applying to schools in the fall, my GPA was high and I had a ton of extracurriculars. Things looked good, but my parents, who had just moved to Michigan for work, insisted I plan out some alternatives. Of course. Thankfully, they had moved to a place with a great in-state school; even when I applied to U of M, I didn't dread the idea of going. It just wasn't in my top five.
I actually got into the school early (December), and then had to wait three months to hear about my other choices. Finally, the day came ' and Harvard rejected me. My next plan, the University of Pennsylvania, hit a snag when they offered no financial aid. Ditto with Northwestern. Finally, I realized not only was I going to Michigan, but I had no choice ' and I may never have had one.
It turns out, going to boarding school, even on a good scholarship, can strain a middle-class family. When it came time to go to college, I basically had one good choice. Thankfully, I got in.
And you know what? I believe I had a better time and learned more about myself there than if I had gone to Harvard or Penn. There was more diversity, more fun, more school spirit at UM than I've seen at a lot of other schools.
When you’re a junior in high school, the last thing you want to do is make an important decision, like choose 'the' college you’ll attend for the next four years of your life. The campus tours, interviews and applications seriously interfere with your social agenda.
If you’re lucky, picking a school is easy. That was true for me.
I remember stepping on to the Gettysburg College campus and knowing that was where I was meant to go. The campus was strangely just what I had pictured college to look like: Beautiful green grass, trees and flowers surrounded old brick buildings. Plus it’s a small school, which is a characteristic I was looking for.
Before setting anything in stone, I needed to become familiar with the party scene (what’s a school worth without some good fun?). So, I stayed with a family friend who was a student there. The night was a blur of natty light beer and fraternity houses, but there is one memory I have that sticks out most. As we stood outside Phi Sigma Kappa, one of the brothers dropped a TV out the third-floor window. Everyone shouted and clapped as it crashed on the cement. That outrageous act sold me.
I applied early decision.
When it came time to start thinking about college, I followed the same protocol I always followed when decision-making was on the horizon: I looked to my brothers. Being the baby of the family, I have rarely (if ever) made large life decisions on my own. Choosing a college was no different.
I really had no idea what I wanted out of college: big or small, public or private, party or academic. Since I knew nothing about college and I didn’t trust myself to make a good decision, I knew I needed help. I asked people who really knew me - my personality, my interests and my relationship with my family - and really knew the college world to give me a good perspective.
I listened to what everyone told me: which schools had the best parties; which schools had the hottest girls ' because that really mattered to me; which schools had the best classes; which schools had the coolest towns. and decided to just apply to some schools I knew people liked and hope for the best. Taking other people’s advice is probably not the best way to apply to schools (considering I never even took a campus tour!), but I got lucky with my method.
In the end, I wound up at the perfect place - The University of Michigan - and I could not have had a better college experience. Michigan offered the perfect blend of academics and social life; history and traditions; and incredibly loyal alumni. If I had to go back and make the decision all over again, I probably would have taken a tour or two, and maybe even spent a weekend at each school, but I would not have changed my decision. Definitely not.
'So, David,' my high school guidance counselor said to me with a weary sigh, looking over his glasses. 'It's time to start thinking about a college.' It was the last thing I felt like doing. But, the inertia was there: time to find a college. Everyone went to college, right? It's like getting your driver's license. I applied to fours schools, not really knowing why and depending wholly on my guidance counselor's wisdom. University of Connecticut? No, try again. Hamilton College? Denied. Colorado College? Sorry, no room. Ohio Wesleyan University? I was in! So were a bunch of other kids from my Connecticut high school. I suspect I got in because OWU was going through lean times, and they needed the money. My parents were willing to pay, full freight.
I arrived at Ohio Wesleyan University, sight unseen, not knowing what to expect ' probably because I had no expectations. What I got, though, was four years of fun, and I learned a few things, too. And there was no reason to fuss over all these school selections. Still isn't, I don't think, because there are so many good schools out there. - David M. Weston
Some people like to spend a year 'finding themselves' in the work force or exotic countries ' before losing themselves in alcohol and all-nighters. Just like normal college students! Here are the stories of those who deferred their college admissions.
Dan Hirschhorn
Philadelphia, PA
University of Pennsylvania
What he did'
Enrolled in a year-long internship program in Worcester, MA, for post-high school students. Dan also worked at an investment firm in the fall, the sports section of the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in the winter and Lancer Outlook, a college news show produced by Worcester State College, in the spring.
Why he took a year off.
'There was just no way I was ready for college,' he says. 'The end of high school was rough, both in academic and other ways. I needed to mature and gain more perspective.'
Did it help him make his college decision?
Not at all. Penn had already accepted him, so Dan just deferred for a year.
Ashley Joyce
Bend, OR
College in Oregon
What she did'
Was a Rotary Youth Exchange Student in Haapam'ki/Pihlajavesi, Finland (!), where she lived with three host families and went to Finnish high school. 'I learned Finnish, rode my bike to school in the snow, met the REAL Santa Claus, saw reindeer and virtually lived in the sauna,' she says. By the way, the real Santa? Smells like ham.
Why she took a year off'
'My friend's sister went to South Africa as a Rotary exchange student. I heard all about her awesome experiences. So, I decided: why not? Also, I thought I’d never have the chance to go away, and have it all virtually paid for, ever again. And it just seemed different. Everyone I knew was going to college right away, and I didn’t see why I needed to hurry into it.'
Did it help in the college application process?
'Colleges want people with diverse experiences and backgrounds,' Joyce says. 'I'm still convinced going to Finland is the real reason I was accepted into my college ' along with the fact that I'm from Oregon.' Yeah, that's the kicker, Ashley.
Josh Silverstein
Spokane, WA
Brandeis University
What he did.
Went on a leadership program in Israel, spending time in Jerusalem and on Kibbutz Sa'ad, a religious communal farming community in the Negev Desert. 'I worked in the popcorn factory, sorting, bagging and packaging popcorn and birdseed,' says Silverstein. Note: He doesn't know what's in that fake butter, either.
Why he took a year off.
'I felt I had this opportunity to do something interesting at a vital time for breaking away from the identity of home and I though, hey, I might as well,' he says.
Would he recommend it to others?
'Definitely for those who don’t feel ready to jump straight into college, which can be quite a leap,' he says. 'There’s no real way to know who I would be, had I not taken time off. We have more time to figure everything out than we tend to realize; we might as well take our time and enjoy the journey and do as many interesting things as possible!' Um, what's with the royal 'we,' Josh?
