Picking the Right School

Ivy League schools offer students great education and prestige. Many students find these schools attractive because they are selective and because a degree from such a school is impressive on a job application. Yet, there are great schools all over the country that offer a wonderful education and are easier to get into. And, as you know, public schools such as the University of Florida are more affordable. 

The best way to decide what school is best for you is to consider all the angles. Ask yourself: What schools offer strong programs in my major? How important is cost and will this scholarship make life easier for me in the future? Do I want to be close to home or further away on my own? What kind of college life is there? Do you prefer a large or small school? Would you be more comfortable in a traditional campus not close to a major city, or do you prefer to be in a large city? Are you looking for a certain student mix in terms of gender, religion, race, etc.? All of these questions play a major role in the college decision. You are right—if you choose to attend the University of Florida, you can always pursue a masters degree at Dartmouth or at another big-name school. But try not to think too far ahead. Base your decision on what each school can do for you right now as you pursue your bachelor’s degree.

The best way to narrow down which colleges are best for you is to first ask yourself several general questions about college:

-What am I interested in pursuing as a major?

-What schools offer strong programs in my major?

-How important is cost and will scholarships be available at this school?

-Do I want to live at home or on campus?

-Do I want to be close to home or further away on my own?

-Will I be more comfortable at a large university or a small private college?

-Are my grades and test scores sufficient for acceptance?

Once you’ve answered each of these questions, make a list of the colleges you are considering and decide which ones best fit the criteria set by your answers.

The next step is to get specific information from each school left on the list. You may contact the schools directly or visit their websites to request catalogs, viewbooks, brochures, and anything else you think might aid the decision making process.

Finally, once you’ve narrowed the list down again, schedule campus visits to the schools you are still interested in. You can schedule a tour, see a dorm room, and perhaps even sit on a class. Many students base their final decision on a really good a campus visit. Then, once you’ve chosen the perfect school, begin the admissions process.

Follow this process and you should have no trouble choosing the right school for you.

To a certain degree, both your counselor and your family friend are correct. Schools like Harvard do always select a few of their own schools for their graduate programs, but to be one of the students their medical school takes, you’ll need to be one of the top students in your college class.

Your counselor is correct because if you work hard and excel at any school, medical schools will want you in their incoming class. So, if you want to be a doctor, don’t worry too much about whether you get into Harvard undergraduate. There are many fine schools, and in determining the right place for you, you should take into account not only academic reputation, but also factors such as financial aid availability, size, location, student body mix, social life and clubs and activities. Ultimately, the school where you are the happiest is the one that will give you the most satisfying college experience and will also be the one where you’re most likely to excel well enough to get into medical school.

Ultimately, both are correct because both are saying medical schools like Harvard want the best students. However, don’t get too hung up on going just to Harvard Medical School as there are many other excellent medical schools and you’ll become a doctor if you go through any of them. So apply to a wide range to colleges, Harvard included, and work really hard in college, and whether you go to Harvard or somewhere else, you should be in a good position to get into a great medical school. Good luck!

First, congratulations on your son’s acceptances. You should be very proud.

Personal finances and your ability and willingness to pay more for a school are subjective and something I can’t fairly comment on. That said, while it probably isn’t worth going to the higher ranked school just to get your son into medical school (since that decision won’t be based necessarily on tougher competition), you should consider factors other than rankings when helping your son choose a school: among these: the school’s strength in your son’s intended major, the strength of the school’s premed program (if they have one, and if not, the quality of their science offerings), financial aid/scholarships (I know your son has gotten a scholarship from UConn, but he may get similar offers from other schools as well), student life (such as clubs, activities, athletics, etc.), the student mix (such as male/female ratio, religious and political leanings and socioeconomics of the student body), location, and size. Your son may also want to consider the breadth and quality of other majors offered at the school just in case he decides not to go to medical school or if he decides to major in something considered “nontraditional” for premed students.

So what you need to figure out is what, if anything, you’re willing and able to pay for your son’s education and finding a school within these financial means where your son is going to be happy. After all, if he’s happy, he’s more likely to do well in school. Good luck!

You're in luck!  We happen to have just published an article in the brand-new 2010 edition of our magazine called "The Right Fit -- Apply to Schools That Are Right For You."  Read it through right here.  I also encourage you to look at the section of previous questions I've answered under my section "Picking the Right School."  These resources will give you a great starting point.  But I'll say for the time being... I think you'll figure it out.  It will just take a little exploration...and what's not exciting about that?  Good luck as you begin your college searching adventure.

Thanks for this question. I have been thinking about it for a little while, and I have decided that instead of giving you an answer, I'm going to ask you two questions in return.

1) If you decide to go to Chattanooga with your friends, it's possible that your group will start to drift apart a little (after all, the college atmosphere is different, and young adults tend to change the most in college). Will you still feel as though you will have a good college experience there, or will you feel resentful for going there and wish you had gone to Mississippi State?

2) How much do you care about studying meteorology? Do you believe it is something you are completely passionate about, or do you feel about the same about it as you might a different program of study?

I encourage you to think about these questions, think about what your expectations are at present for college, think about what you value most, and talk to your friends and adult mentors about this dilemma. I wish you wisdom in your decision-making.

If you want more recommendations, I'd suggest you seek information from objective resources like architectural firms themselves. If you know of architects, ask them from which schools their firms frequently pull graduates. Also check out Architect Magazine online (www.architectmagazine.com)...it offers a wide variety of resources to aspiring architects, including its ranking of best architecture schools. Also check with your son to see what aspects of architecture he is specifically loving. Is it the artistic aspect of creating something original in 3-dimensional form? Or is he more drawn to the technical and mathematical aspects of architecture? It doesn't hurt to keep the options open; an art school isn't out of the question quite yet just because of his "limited preparation" as you mentioned. Also find out what specific kind of architecture your son likes. There are so many branches of architecture (for example, you mentioned Virginia Tech--it's actually ranked number 1 currently in landscape architecture). Does your son like modern architecture? restoration architecture of old buildings? garden and outdoor parks architecture? Do a little research. Google is going to be your best friend on this journey.

Also, I wouldn't worry about your son's "thin" portfolio just yet. But make sure to gather what you've got. Be absolutely sure to mention his work in an architectural office when he starts applying to schools. And I would bet he still has time to put together some quality pieces, artistic or otherwise. He should talk to the industrial tech and art teachers at his schools to see whether he could work on some specialized architectural design pieces on an independent basis. Or he could ask the firm he worked at to help in more depth with some of their projects on an apprentice sort of basis. Chances are, if he really does want to do this, he'll love putting together that kind of work for his portfolio anyway!