Hi I’m an incoming high school senior who has been on at least ten college tours. With only one college tour left I’ve noticed that most of the tour guides on these college tours all seem to say that they fell in love with the school when they first walked onto the campus. They all seemed to know exactly what they wanted when they were picking the right college for them, but for me I find that isn’t the case. I have a lot of good schools on my list and I feel as though I would be happy at most of them, but no matter how many visits I go on none of the schools have that special feeling. I’m starting to get nervous that I won’t find the right fit for me. What should I do?
P.S the schools I am looking at applying to include Drexel, Saint Joseph’s, University of Maryland College Park, University of Pittsburgh, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of California Davis, University of California Irvine, Duquesne University, Rutgers, and Seton Hall. Any suggestions of other schools to look at would be appreciated! 1830 SAT and 3.6 GPA. My major of choice is biology or health sciences with a plan to go to physician’s assistants school and get my masters
It is fine to feel the way you do. In fact, consider yourself fortunate. From what I can see the people who get most hurt in the process are those who fall in love with one school (especially if it is a reach) and then are crushed if they don’t get in or can’t afford it etc. With a lot of choices you are happy with you won’t have that problem.
For now put in your applications and see what happens. Some schools will likely get crossed off your list for one reason or another and you will choose from the rest. Different factors will come into play. It might be finances (especially with grad school ahead). There might be a program you like that is only offered at some schools. You could decide if you prefer the large state U’s or a mid-size schools. It is early in the process so no need to decide now. Let things play out.
If you want other ideas you might consider U of Scranton, Marist, Quinnipiac, Siena, SUNY New Paltz
It’s entirely possible that you are simply not the kind of person who “falls in love with” a school. In a way, that’s a benefit, because you won’t set your heart on a school that’s a reach for you or that might end up being too expensive. If you’re the sort of person who can be content in a variety of environments, you can truly “bloom where you’re planted” and have a great college experience anywhere you go. Don’t stress that if you don’t fall in love with a school, you haven’t “found the right fit” – it just means that there are lots of schools that could be the “right fit” for you. It doesn’t mean you’re doomed to unhappiness.
Have you asked yourself the standard questions? Examples: do you want to be at the kind of school where everyone goes to The Game on Saturdays, or would you be just as happy if you never saw the inside of a football stadium? Do you envision your weekends at college being spent at frat parties with a beer in your hand? Maybe you’d rather be catching a bus into the city with your friends to go to a club/a Thai restaurant/a museum exhibit? Or maybe your ideal Saturday afternoon at college is sitting on the grass under an oak tree reading a book?
With regard to the schools you’ve toured, I’m not familiar with all of them – are there any on that list that are really representative of small liberal arts schools? If not, you might want to visit at least one school that fits that description.
Yay for you to NOT have a dream school. You can take a clear eyed look at the pros and cons of the schools where you get admitted. Apply, look at FA packages/cost if you are accepted, and visit your top 2-3 choices for accepted student visits. Your choice will likely be clear by then.
That special feeling is just a superficial thing, imo, more like lust than love. It is more about landscaping than anything genuine. The fact is that the vast majority like where they go, so the tour guides are just being good salesmen, they are picked as people who want to promote the school. Try to dig deeper, think about the graduation requirements and what sort of things you will have to take vs get to take. What are the requirements for the major? How flexible is dropping and adding a class, is there a lot of red tape in general? Can you even get into popular classes? Can you enter the major right away or do you have to compete after doing apremajor prereqs? How accessible are the profs, and are there numerous TA’s and help desks to utilize. How big are my classes, do I do well in lectures or seminars.
What state are you in? Are you parents happy to pay out of state prices?
I’ve been telling every single rising senior I can find that having a dream school is one of the worst things you can do in the college process. Acceptances and rejections can seem downright random, especially at “elite” schools, and getting rejected from your dream school can quite literally destroy you emotionally for weeks.
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am looking at applying to include Drexel, Saint Joseph’s, University of Maryland College Park, University of Pittsburgh, University of Massachusetts Amherst, University of California Davis, University of California Irvine, Duquesne University, Rutgers, and Seton Hall.
Any suggestions of other schools to look at would be appreciated! 1830 SAT and 3.6 GPA.
My major of choice is biology or health sciences with a plan to go to physician’s assistants school and get my masters
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What is your home state? How much will your parents pay each year? You have a lot of OOS publics on your list that will expect you to pay full price. Are your parents ok with that?
If you’re OOS for the UCs, take those off your list. You’re OOS and likely UCI and UCD will not accept an OOS student with your stats. Plus, very expensive.
What is your M+CR?
My home state is New Jersey and I know UC’s have a high percentage of in state students but UC Davis has an outstanding PA program and it’s a target school for me. Irvine is a reach for me so I may end up taking that off my list thanks for the advice. My M+CR score is a 1220 and I plan on taking the ACT in September. I have a brother who goes to Drexel and while it is pricey they give out a lot of financial aid money. Thanks for the help
Your current stats are not competitive for neither UCI nor Davis and the reason those schools have high percentages of in state students is that they are public universities paid for by California taxpayers.
The state will also be placing caps on the number of OOS students it will be accepting. Costs are going up 8%. Can your parents afford $58k per year? For both undergrad and grad school. You won’t qualify for instate residency as you are coming for educational purposes so that will be a very expensive PA program.
Oh, and the UCs don’t give financial aid to non-residents. It’s a California tax-supported school.
As others have stated, the gut “Dream School” feeling is not all it’s cracked up to be. We visited a school and all came away saying, “how can someone say no to this?” We were blown away, but our longing to be part of the university was based almost completely on superficial trappings - the beauty of the campus (on a perfect day!), the red carpet that was rolled out so well for our visit, etc. It’s easier to make a good decision if its a little more rational and a little less based on a warm fuzzy feeling.
Oh, and How about the Pre-Health Program at Loyola University Maryland?
If you think about it, college tour guides are a self-selected bunch. They are people who feel enthusiastic about the school, so they tend to be tour guides.
Most “dream schools” are people falling in love with the "idea’ of the school, not the actual school. Both my kids didn’t really have a dream school, but a school that fit their price, major, distance from home, size…and maybe had that little bit of something else that tipped the scales.
Check out The College of New Jersey as a great value option for what you want.
You have programs that are BS plus combines MS for a PA. About 2/3 of the students progress on to the MS level PA program. You can also attend a NJ state undergrad program for a BS to decrease cost and then apply to a MS level program for a PA.
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. My M+CR score is a 1220 and I plan on taking the ACT in September. I have a brother who goes to Drexel and while it is pricey they give out a lot of financial aid money. Thanks for the help
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You’re not going to get any aid from UMass, UMaryland, UPitt, or the UCs.
Have your parents run the NPCs for the privates on your list.
ASK your parents how much they’ll pay each year for YOU.
Last I checked, Davis was slightly MORE selective than Irvine. From last year’s Fiske Guide: mid-50% SAT ranges for Davis were CR 520-640, M 570-690, and for Irvine were CR 470-610, M 540-670. Not a huge difference, but you can’t call Davis a match if you’re calling Irvine a reach.
I’m looking at it right now and it looks promising. Thank you for the advice!
Be sure you are marking that you are an OOS student for all those public schools. None of the ones you listed give need based aid to OOS students.
I’d like to recommend Clemson University. They have quite a few students from NJ. Currently they do give aid to OOS who are ranked in the top 10% of their class, have an SAT score of at least 1250(CR and M) or ACT of 28 or higher is eligible for 7500.00. If you can score a 33 on the ACT or a 1440 on the SAT (CR and M) you are eligible for 15,000 in aid, but you must apply before Dec 31 to be eligible. They have a very good health sciences program with a good relationship with the Medical University of SC ( they have a good PA program) My coworkers daughter is a rising junior there and is pursuing her PA degree at MUSC and has said that job shadowing opportunities have been very good in the upstate of SC. Just another option. Good luck in your search.
Thanks so much for the recommendation I will definitely look into it and who knows it may be my future school! 