It’s October . . . What Now?

So it’s October . . .

College applications are just around the corner. You probably got your letters of recommendation written, your Common App and your essays are in the works, you’re (hopefully) doing well in all your classes . . .

You probably have some dream schools you would give anything to get into, all in hopes of a good education that will set you up for success afterwards. You’re probably wondering about tuition costs and extra fees that will set your family back.

There is undoubtedly some anxiety.

Don’t deny your own fears.

Just take a breather—and don’t run so hard that you pass out.

You need to know that it’s perfectly normal and acceptable to feel this way. Not every applicant goes to their dream school, and that’s okay.

You might’ve seen the U.S. News and World Report rankings of schools thanks to your parents, relatives, or someone else you know who is encouraging (or even pressuring) you to attend the “best.” They speak with good intentions; however, you do not need to attend the top schools to get yourself a successful education.

What truly matters for success is what you do in college, just like what you do in high school. A school does not make a man, a man makes the school. It is your experiences and your actions that will determine your success. It’s how you spend your time in those next four years that will determine your future.

Whatever undergraduate school you’re going to will not bring you a successful career if you sit idly by. You have the power to make or break your education and decide how much you benefit from it.

Your employer does not care which school you went to for your undergraduate degree. They care about experience in the field more than your GPA or your place of education, and most reputable schools have a career services department which will aid and prepare you for interviews, applications, and networking.

Plus, your undergraduate degree does not really matter as much as going into graduate school or getting yourself work experience. Definitely aim high for those graduate schools and doctoral programs as there really is a difference, yet keep in mind that most students going to graduate school aren’t from the same school as an undergraduate. [Ed. Note—in fact, unless you’re going to an Ivy, it’s typically considered a strike against you to keep getting degrees from the same school.]

If you get accepted into an accelerated program which allows you to complete a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in five years, definitely go for it. Not many applicants (for jobs) at 23 and 24 have a master’s at all, so you’ll stand more competitively amongst the applicant pool at your age.

There is definitely no shame in going to the community college route and transferring to another institution. That is the most cost-effective route if you are paying full tuition, and at any rate, you do not need to accumulate $120,000 worth of debt to get a good education. Just go to a good institution that gives you the most scholarships and grants. Save you and your family money that can be spent elsewhere. Do not spend the next 25 years paying off debt to a school which you could have chosen to pass up. It is absolutely great if you get admitted into your dream school, but is it really worth a lifelong financial ruin to attend it for four years? Think about the long term and what you really want from your undergraduate education.

Do you want . . .

• Career preparation and success?
• Credit on research and publications?
• A work-hard-play-hard culture?
• Close-knit social circles (or a large number of students to meet and potentially befriend)?
• Personal relationships with your professors, or not to see your professors at all?
• Preparation for graduate school in the future?

Think of which of these goals matter the most to you, and they will guide your decision as to where to go.

It’s completely fine that you’re unsure about your decision. While you can’t eliminate anxiety, you can decide based on available information and make an informed choice.

Contact the undergraduate admissions office of the schools you’re interested in. Don’t just let them regurgitate statistics and numbers that you can find on their website. If you want to figure out what’s really going on at the school, current students and alumni are your best resource. Go on social media like LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and all the rest to find current students while you schedule a meeting with the admissions team.

Try to get a quick chat with a current student attending a school you’re considering, and even better if they’re in the same program that you’re interested in. If possible, chat in a one-on-one, personal setting, without the presence of an admissions counselor, to get a truly authentic perspective from a student. Find out if they have any complaints about the school; ask about the culture, social life, classes, and whatever else you have questions about. This will give you the opportunity to make a better decision based on what the students have said. You certainly don’t want to attend a school with, say, poor enforcement of Title IX, or one with unsociable students that turn the campus into a ghost town, so make an appointment with a student beforehand and learn this information before you commit.

For alumni, go for approximately five years after graduation. Five years is ample time to gain professional experience, and alumni may even be in graduate programs you also want to pursue. If you manage to get on call with one, focus on questions about what they did for career preparation and development, and how well the school prepared them for the job they’re in. If they’re in graduate school, also ask if their undergraduate school prepared them for mor advanced studies. This will help you gauge the long term career benefits of whatever undergraduate program you’re interested in.

Committing is hard. If you’re really serious and if you really care, then make an informed decision. You don’t want to end up regretting your decision later and wish you ended up at another school. Remember that in the end, you’ll end up where you need to be, and most importantly, where you attend undergraduate school does not dictate your future success.