First, let's talk about the fact that the media is constantly telling us that it is so much more difficult to get into college than it was when your parents were applying to schools. It may be that for the 35-50 most selective colleges (think some private colleges Ivy League, USC, Duke, and a few public universities (Universities of Virginia, Texas, Michigan, Berkley), gaining admission is difficult, with admission rates from 5-35%. Definitely lower admissions percentages than in previous years, and harder to gain access. But according to the Department of Education, there are more than 4,000 degree-granting institutions in the United States - which leaves nearly 4,000 schools where admission rates range from 35 to 75% - or which have open admissions. Which means there is someplace for everyone who wants to further their education.
Let's be clear - there is nothing wrong with wanting to go to a great school, like Stanford. The problem lies in the fact that students and parents confuse prestige, name recognition, and low admission rates with schools that are "the best." U.S. News and World Report has sold us on the idea the you have to go to the schools they consider high-ranking, but one of the criteria they use to create rankings is how hard it is to get in. If more students apply, a school's admission rate lowers and their rankings go up, which has nothing to do with the education you might receive there. The truth is there is no "best" school, there are only schools that are the "best fit" for you.
What makes a school the best fit? Thinking about schools is kind of like looking for a relationship partner, but requires more effort than swiping right or swiping left. Students need to do some work when deciding where they want to go. You should consider:
- distance from home
- size of student body
- environment (urban/suburban/rural)
- specialty schools (art, engineering, etc.)
- majors/minors
- 2- or 4-year school
- religious affiliation
- public or private
- single sex or co-ed
- cost (including scholarship availability)
- percentage of students who graduate in four years
- registered student organizations
- intercollegiate sports
- housing availability
- diversity
- average GPA/test score for admissions
- weather (seriously, if you don't like to sweat, Arizona may not be the place for you)
Once you've done some serious self-analysis, use an online tool such as the College Board's Big Future website (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org) or College Navigator (https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/), plug in your choices and see what comes up. Look beyond whether or not it's a name brand school and instead to whether or not it seems to fit your needs - and then go and visit. Nothing gives you the feel of a school more than being on campus, particularly when school is in session. It's okay to visit during the summer if you're in the area anyway, but if you're going to make the effort to tour just for that reason, going when students are there, you can visit a classroom and maybe even stay in a dorm is invaluable. Then make your final choices and apply to those colleges that work the best for you, not for everyone else. Some may be reach schools (because applying to Princeton can be like throwing darts at a dart board), some maybe pretty sure bets, and some may be safety schools, but all of them should be places you can see yourself attending and being happy.
For gifted students there is even more pressure on college choice. You may get a lot of advice from family, friends, and teachers about where you should go...but you're the person who has to go to school there. You have to feel welcome and included. You have to feel at home. And keep in mind that no matter where you are admitted and where you decide to attend, not getting in to any particular college in no way makes you a failure. You know what you're capable of, you know what your goals and dreams are, and you can figure out how to navigate that path. If a school doesn't want you, that's their loss, not yours.
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