I just started senior year, and I’ve toured a lot of colleges, and most of them I’ve liked, but none of them wowed me, and I didn’t feel as if I would be 100% sure I’d be completely happy at them. Everyone says they have that moment where they fall in love with a school, but I haven’t fell in love with me. I’ve been looking at a variety, in-state, private, small, big, and I still haven’t decided what I totally like. I know I want to major in (broadcast) journalism, so I’ve been looking at mostly colleges that have good journalism programs. Any suggestions on schools or what i should do? I think my parents want me to stay closer to where I live (Massachusetts), but the schools around me haven’t been my favorite.
You are lucky. Love needs to be mutual. One-sided love is likely to be painful. Take your time and don’t fall in love just yet until you find your match.
It will be easier to not be in love with just one school!
What kinds of things have appealed to you so far?
BU and Northeastern both have strong journalism programs.
What is your budget? What are your stats?
One more vote for “its better to have many schools you like, and no ‘dream’ school”. If you think you would be happy at any number of schools, that’s great!!
One small “grammar police” moment— you haven’t found a school you’ve FALLEN (not fell) in love with. Sorry- nails on a blackboard… eek!
It is impossible to find a WOW college before you attend it, so many factors affecting your “love or hates” relationship and from the outside, you cannot make that decision. You are going to a college to learn, the college environment, including cost, academics, location, personal living experiences, and the student body that should fit you. It might not fit unless you attend the school, from outside, those factors, other than cost and location, will not reveal themselves. You just have to take a gamble and frankly, the school also take a gamble on you.
What have your tours been like-- standard admissions presentation and campus tour? Maybe the format isn’t for you. Maybe try sitting in a class, doing an overnight, following their social media, etc. It’s not a bad thing to not have a single love. What if you didn’t get in! It happens. Good to keep an open mind and once the final decisions are made commit to making it work for you.
Emerson certainly comes to mind. It is more specialized than most colleges, though, so you’d have to think about how committed you are to journalism.
Ithaca and Syracuse in NY are very good as well.
@katetoz Don’t fall in love or like until you receive the acceptance letters and invitations.
I don’t think everyone “falls in love” with a school.
It’s like buying a house…you have to find the best case of compromising on cost/features/location etc.
My DD’17 got “the feeling” that she’d found her place on a college tour, so my DD’19 was expecting the same thing, especially since she’s much more emotional than her sister. But it didn’t happen for her. Her decision was made more by making a very specific list of wants and budget and finding that a certain school met all of it except one item (and over senior year she changed opinion on that one item so in the end it met the list completely). Even so she still wasn’t completely sold on it all the time. It is fairly close to home and she thought she wanted something more exotic but every time we went back she had a great visit.
One thing that helped her get more excited for schools she thought she wouldn’t like is meeting professors while on visits. And checking out local recreation options.
If you find a place that has what you need, just remember you can “bloom where you are planted”. Also, as I saw with my DD, things can change a lot over senior year. What you think now may be different by December or March.
My son didn’t really “fall in love”. In fact, he hated his school on the first visit - in August when it was about 100 degrees and 100 percent humidity. We made him apply because it was our alma mater, in state and affordable. After acceptances, we went back and he decided that was where he wanted to go. He’s starting junior year and absolutely loves it now. Everyone is different!
Best not to fall in love with one college. Visit, then apply to schools you are interested in. Of course, discuss finances with your parents and check net-price calculators. Have a few reaches (hard to get into), some matches (likely to get into) and some safeties (slam-dunks you’re almost guaranteed to get into).
Make sure your safeties and matches are schools that look promising and you would probably enjoy going to.
When you get accepted - narrow down the list to those schools that you can afford and seem the most interesting, then try to go to an overnight/accepted student day at each of your finalists. Sit in on classes, talk to professors.
Then pick the school the meets most of your criteria. Maybe you’ll get a gut read on which one(s) you really like AFTER you’re accepted
My son followed this strategy. He didn’t visit most of the schools he applied to. He was accepted to a bunch of schools, narrowed it down to 4 schools we could afford and that he liked the most (met his criteria best). He attended 4 accepted student events, narrowed it down to 2 from there. Agonized a bit, then picked the one he felt most at home in. Is that school perfect? No. Are there some things he likes better about the other schools he turned down? Yes. There is no perfect school. But he’s very happy with his choice and is well matched to his school.
What you might do is broaden your list to schools with Journalism (in general) and English departments that support and get students hired in journalism. You might check out SUNY -Oswego, they have an excellent broadcast journalism major.
Thanks for your advice!
I toured Emerson, and I liked it!! I’m definitely going to apply, I just wasn’t sure I liked how small it is. I also like Syracuse and Ithaca, and I’ll probably apply. Thanks for your advice!!
my brother attends Northeastern! And I’ve seen BU! Both great schools, just not sure if I could get in. I think I’ve liked colleges more in the city, or with surrounding areas with a lot to do. Still not sure if I want big or small yet. Thanks for your advice!
@katetoz
What are you academics (GPA, et al)? New England School of Communications in Maine might be a walk-in where Emerson would be a challenge.
My unweighted GPA is a 3.7, and I took 3 APs last year, taking 5 this year (I took all honors my first 2 years of high school). I’m secretary of NHS and co-president of Interact Club, among with a few other activities. My SAT score is 1260 which is lower then I’d like, I wasn’t in the best mindset when I took it. I’m taking it again in October and I’m hoping to improve