By George Dehne
Developer of the Personal Inventory of College Styles
The college selection process is tough enough. Don’t let the myths about college scare you away from a college or university that might be just right for you.
When you have even modest success in advanced or accelerated courses it indicates that you can handle challenging courses -- like those you will find in college. A challenging college preparatory program or some advanced placement courses will help you get into more selective colleges.
Colleges know that your performance in high school is a better predictor of college success than the standardized tests. That does not mean that most colleges will ignore your SAT or ACT scores. Some state institutions with far more applicants than they can assess fairly may use scores to determine if you are eligible.
College is your time to explore. Except in a few specific situations, you can choose a major in your sophomore year and still complete the degree in four years. A surprising number of students discover their ideal field while taking a course they didn’t expect to like. If you’re not ready, don’t let well-meaning friends pressure you into deciding on a major field or a career before you choose a college. Take your time.
Colleges look for improvement in performance as a sign that you can and will do the work. In fact, a vast improvement as a junior and senior indicates to a college that you have settled down. However, do not expect to catch up for three poor years in one good semester as a senior.
You may not hear about many of the nation’s finest colleges until you are well into your adult life. Athletics on television is how most colleges get to be known, but many great colleges do not get that kind of exposure. Some of the nation’s finest colleges don’t play big-time athletics. Judge a college on its own merits.
Admittedly, colleges consider out-of-class activities such as athletics, student government, and music when they review an application. But colleges look at your academic performance first. Lots of out-of-class activities help only if the college believes you can do the work. "The thicker the file, the thicker the child" is an expression admissions counselors use when a prospective student submits materials on all that he or she has done, but the student still has poor high-school grades.
You should go to the college that "fits" you best. If it happens to be prestigious, that’s fine. However, fit has to do with how you feel when you are on campus, that matches with how you learn and how the professors teach, along with the academic pressure you can handle. If the college isn’t a good match, you will be unhappy regardless of the prestige.
Many students think that because there are more courses to choose from, a large college offers greater options for undecided students. However, choices alone should not be the deciding factor. If you are undecided, the best college is one that has core requirements or distribution requirements that ensure you will explore new areas and fields. Also, look for colleges with the strongest academic advising and career counseling programs regardless of their size. Good advising can help you choose an academic and career path you will enjoy rather than one you think you might like right now.
About two out of five students change their major fields of interest before they actually enroll in college, and about one of two changes the major field once enrolled. Look for a college that has your current field of interest but is also strong in all its areas. It’s worth noting that the research on success in graduate school and in employment after college suggests that the best way to master a major field is a combination of learning theory and active, hands-on-learning by doing. What’s more valuable is having the opportunity to do research on your own or to work side by side with a professor on a project rather than simply taking more courses in the field.
Many students have fallen for this myth only to find that none of the colleges to which they were admitted "felt" right when they visited. If possible, visit before you apply and again after you have been admitted. If you can visit only once, make it before you apply.
Thousands of students each year do not get admitted to their first choice college and most are happy, healthy individuals today. Yes, rejection is hard on your ego, but you will not be alone. Additionally, the vast majority of students who settle for an alternate choice end up happy at that institution anyway. Remember, college admission, especially at the more selective colleges, has to be subjective. With thousands of applications and only a small staff, it is impossible to assess each applicant objectively. Some applications stand out. Some don’t.
Technically, this is true. In reality, it is not. The more mathematics, science, and languages you take, the better your chances are for getting into a good four-year college.
Many students and parents mistakenly think that attending a university with a law school, medical school, or graduate school guarantees admission into that program at graduation. Very few universities give their students special preference for graduate study, and those that do reserve it for only the very best students. Many small colleges and universities have excellent records in placing students in professional schools and graduate programs. The key to admission is succeeding in a strong major program at a challenging college, not where you go. Regardless of where you attend, there are no guarantees.
The "liberal" in liberal arts means "broadening" and "freeing" -- as in freeing one’s mind from narrow thinking. The term "liberal arts" is a shortened version of the full title: liberal arts and sciences. Most liberal arts colleges have been emphasizing science for all students for a century or more. Since the best way to learn science is by doing science, small colleges with small classes and fewer students in laboratories often have an advantage. Proportionally, far more physicians and Ph.D.s have undergraduate degrees from small liberal arts colleges than from large universities.
This is generally not true. Students can and are encouraged to study overseas, do an internship, pursue an independent study project, conduct research with a professor, major in two fields, cluster courses on a single topic, etc. In fact, at most institutions you can even design your own major.
Many colleges and universities pride themselves on their ability to "develop the whole person". Some of this personal development comes from requiring a broad-based general education that contributes to your understanding of the world and society. Some of the personal growth takes place in the residence halls where you learn things like tolerance and how to get along with different kinds of people. In some cases, personal and professional development is intentional. At these colleges, there are workshops open to students on time management, developing relationships, handling yourself at a job interview, and your responsibilities as a citizen.
State-supported colleges and universities offer very little of their own resources for financial assistance. As the name suggests, state-supported institutions are subsidized by their respective states and that allows them to charge less. However, state institutions are also more likely to offer only loans to students who do not have a high need.
Government funds comprise only a very small proportion of the grant aid available, that is money that does not need to be paid back. Most federal aid is in the form of loans. Private colleges, especially, supply the largest portion of grant aid.
(Adapted) Copyright © 2007 National Research Center for College & University Admissions. All rights reserved.