Elizabeth Schnell, College Consultant
“Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” I heard this catchphrase in a cereal commercial many years ago and it has stuck with me, because of the notion of constant renewal, every day a new opportunity. But I’ve realized some first days are more significant than others, like the day you decide which college you will attend and officially reply to accept the offer of admission.
After your challenging journey of preparing, searching, and applying, the time has finally come to make a choice that will launch you on your next path. If you haven’t already done so, this is the moment to revisit and refine your criteria for choosing a school and to gather any information you need to evaluate options. (Check out “Letting Go of What You Can’t Control” for ideas on how to frame this step). This decision calls for engaging all your faculties: heart and head, intuition and judgement. It also requires students to reflect in close dialogue with parents, who have supported their endeavors so far and are likely making a significant financial investment in this choice.
You will want to compare costs, financial aid, and scholarship awards, which may involve calling the financial aid office for clarification if necessary. Don’t forget to consider the cost of traveling home for summers and holidays, or other expenses you need to budget for as part of your college experience. If a loan is part of your package, this is the perfect time to review how interest works—there is nothing like calculating interest costs and loan payment amounts over the term of the student loan to “get real” about the long-term expense you are undertaking.
Along with the financial considerations for the whole family, parents often weigh some of the criteria differently than students do. For instance, Career Development Support can amplify the impact of the education you receive and chart a path forward after graduation. Investigate online, or if you are visiting campus, pop into the career center to find out about the resources available to you to learn about careers, connect with alumni mentors, review the companies that recruit at your college, and find out how to get support with resumes, cover letters, linked in, and interviews. You should be getting ready to “hit the ground running” to access these resources from the very start of your four years.
Another issue, campus safety, is often top of mind for parents. To evaluate this dimension, you don’t need to rely on anecdotal evidence or general vibe because all colleges are obliged by the federal government to annually report statistics on campus crime. You can search the college website for “Clery Report.”
For the rest of April our blog will explore the theme of navigating choice. Whatever the criteria driving your choice, build in time over the next few weeks for final investigation, deliberation, and discussion so that you are ready for that big first day of the rest of life.
