Choosing the Right College for you

Careers and Colleges, Sept, 2000 by Nancy Fitzgerald

To find the right college out of more than 3,700 choices, you have to really know what you want and then carefully weigh what the schools have to offer.

Simmi Mehta approached her college search from a meteorological perspective. It's not that she had her heart set on a career with the Weather Channel. It's just that she was in the market for a campus with plenty of sunshine.

"I'm from San Ramone, California," she explains, "and I knew that I had to be somewhere sunny. All during the winter, when it's rainy and dark outside, I get a little depressed, and it's hard to motivate myself to work. I find myself looking out the window thinking, 'I need to go play outside."'

The weather wasn't the only factor in Mehta's decision. Academics were important, too, of course, and she was looking for a school with a strong economics department. A budding entrepreneur, Mehta owns her own Web design company and loves math, so economics seemed like the best way to combine her interests with her strengths. And after poring over mailboxes full of college viewbooks, studying college guides, and visiting college campuses, Mehta found the perfect match when she went on a high school excursion to Stanford University.

"The campus looked gorgeous," she recalls. "The buildings are all in the Spanish mission style, and there's this huge expanse of land. I could picture myself there, studying in little nooks under the trees, feeling completely content. I just knew that this was where I was going to be."

And that's exactly where she ended up. Now a sophomore at Stanford, majoring in economics and thinking about a career in investment banking, Mehta, 19, knows that her college-search homework really paid off. A top-notch student, she could have had her pick of many well-known colleges, but the trick, she knew, was to find the college that was right for her. She took the time to figure out exactly what she needed, then found a college that fit the bill. That's the secret to a successful college search.

"You've got to start out by finding out more about yourself," says Paul Marthers, director of admission at Oberlin College in Ohio. "Instead of just wondering what 'brand name' colleges you can get into, ask, 'Where will I be the happiest?'"

Take charge of your college search. Here's how to get started.

KNOW YOURSELF

You don't need to turn into a hermit-philosopher, but sneak into your cave and think about who you are and what you need. Here are some questions to consider:

* WHAT AM I REALLY INTERESTED IN? Think about the courses you've enjoyed most, the activities in which you've excelled, the hobbies that you love. Figure out what it is that sparks your interest, and find a school that not only has the coursework and facilities to nurture your interests, but likeminded students to share your excitement.

In high school, Alexandra Parfitt of Glencoe, Illinois, couldn't decide what she liked more--biology or English. Now she's a sopho-more at the University of Chicago, working on research in molecular oncology and majoring in comparative literature. "The university encourages students to work in different disciplines and really values well-rounded people," she says.

* HOW INDEPENDENT AM I? Some students thrive in an environment that leaves them to fend for themselves, while others are more comfortable with a bit of handholding, at least during that critical first year.

"Students who are self-starters and show a lot of initiative can do well at almost any college, large or small," says Dave Arnold, dean of Sr. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York. "Students who need more structure and guidance often do better at a smaller college."

Elizabeth Burr, of Los Angeles, for instance, chose the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, a school more noted for its top science programs than for its nurturing atmosphere. "But that wasn't very important to me," she says. "I like to blend into the crowd, and figure things our on my own."

Generally, smaller colleges offer lower student/teacher ratios, which may mean you'll get more individual attention. However, each school is different. Some large schools pride themselves on having accessible professors and never using graduate teaching assistants. You'll have to visit campuses and talk to current students and alumni to get a handle on how available professors are, whether teaching assistants handle much of the work, and whether you will have to go the extra mile to receive individual attention.

* HOW FAR WILL I GO? Before you pack your bags and cross 27 state lines, think carefully about how far you're willing to stray from your family, and how finances will affect your visits back home. "Ask yourself how important family ties are," advises John Gaines, director of admission at Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. "Can you motivate yourself to accomplish the tasks of day-to-day college life without outside help from your parents and siblings? The answers can help you determine whether or not you're ready to leave the nest."