US News just released its updated "Best Colleges and Universities" list this morning....and it is that time of year for high school juniors and seniors. By fall, most of them are beginning to think about (and worry about.....and agonize over) their college search. The emphasis is so often on how to get into the "best" school --- the most prestigious, the most competitive, the most well-known....
A better way to think about the process might be to begin thinking about getting into the best school for YOU. This might not be the best school for someone else. And it may or may not be on a particular "top 10" list. This doesn't mean that it isn't the very best school for you!
There are so many things to consider when choosing what colleges you want to apply to: location, size, availability of major, financial aid, cost, average grades and test scores of the students......not to mention the intangibles - do I feel like I will fit in there? And the very subjective things - do I like the idea of Greek life? Is it an outdoorsy place? Is there enough diversity? Too much? How is the food?
As much as you can - try to not to stress about whether a school is the "best" or not. Spend time visiting different schools. Look at the profile of the students. Meet people there if you can. See how you feel while you are on campus. Schools that seem very much the same on paper may feel very different in person.
Find the school that feels like the best fit for YOU.
