When I started looking at schools, I had a clear idea of what I wanted from a college: something
not like my high school. This meant I was specifically looking for a top school that was:
- friendly and
not competitive
- extremely intellectual, where students talked about "academic" topics in their free time
- quirky and liberal
So that was where I started - with a clear sense of what I was looking for. Then I started reading through Princeton Review's Top (whatever number) Colleges book, and reading the descriptions of various schools, particularly of the student body. I figured that academics at whatever school I was looking at would probably be top notch, and I'd have great and inspiring teachers anywhere; the peers would be what would differ significantly at each school.
I started to hone in on some more details after continuing reading. Some schools immediately stood out as possibilities: Wesleyan University, Brown, Vassar. I knew I wanted to apply to Yale, because my dad had gone there and told me great things about it, which my own research confirmed. I wanted a decently small school where I would have some attention from professors, and a liberal or quirky or at least not conservative vibe remained important to me. Still, a good "reputation" was also important - it mattered to me that the SAT range was decently high. I'm still not sure to what extent this is deserved - on the one hand, we all know that the SAT is deeply flawed and biased toward certain groups, but on the other hand, it did help me determine at which schools I was more likely to be challenged by my peers.
I started to come up with a more final list. Then - big surprise - I visited them. Lots of schools. All over. And visiting schools is what really makes the difference. It's the only way to actually get a sense of what it will be like to go there. I ruled out some schools (I got nasty vibes from a couple of especially preppy seeming ones, and was unimpressed with the unintellectual atmosphere at another) and was impressed with others (Wesleyan and Middlebury both felt kind of right).
In the end, I had to decide where to apply early decision. Yale, Brown, or Wesleyan? I admitted my chances of getting into Yale or Brown were much lower, and to be honest, I felt more "right" at Wesleyan. My parents weren't thrilled with the decision, but ultimately I decided to apply early to Wesleyan, and was later accepted. I now attend the school and can't imagine a place more "right" for me - it's certainly quirky and liberal, but more importantly, I can't imagine a place where I'd have been more challenged. My opinions on various topics have changed drastically as I've been forced to reconsider everything I believed in, and I've grown immensely and have a much better framework for understanding the world. My peers are amazing, and I have a ton of fun, and my professors (as expected) are phenomenonal. It's so un-competitive, which has really helped me succeed academically where I had trouble in high school.
Basically, I just had a good sense of what I wanted from a school, visited a bunch and felt the right "vibe" at one, went for it, and loved it. I wish everyone's college search would be as easy and successful as mine was!
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