My senior year of high school, I set my sights on a university. Rather, I became obsessed with the school. I visited the campus and instantly felt like it was the perfect place for me. I couldn’t picture myself anywhere else. I loved the busy city in which the school was ensconced, the potential to get lost in the crowd, the ability to find myself.
For the next several months, I went through the admissions process. I took my SATs, wrote college essays, filled out applications. On November 15, I put my heart and soul into an envelope and mailed it away. As I waited to hear from my “dream school,” I begrudgingly continued the process of applying to the colleges I had selected as back-ups, without truly considering their merits.
One day, a friend of mine invited me to make a visit to the school that was her “dream” and coincidentally one of my back-ups. I wasn’t particularly interested in the college but figured a visit was a legitimate reason to miss a day of school.
We arrived at the college, and I immediately noticed how different it was from my first choice. This college was small and gentle, yet diverse and rigorous at the same time. It seemed to be a nurturing version of my dream.
As we toured the college and learned about its history, I started to drop my guard. When we left, I could really see myself attending this school. No, it wasn’t the huge and bustling university of my early decision application, but it was a viable option.
By December, I had received a reply from my number-one choice. I was thrilled. But I kept thinking how unnecessary it was to get caught up in the dazzle of the big name. I realized that there were options for me and other colleges where I could have been perfectly happy. I learned that if you slow down a minute, you may find yourself pleasantly surprised.
Alexandra Mayzler is the president and founder of Thinking Caps (thinkingcapstutoring.com) and a recent graduate of New York University.
Don’t count any possibility out
I was not even going to apply to my college, and it ended up being perfect for me.
By Carolann Larkin
Deciding where to apply to college was a major decision that I thought would solve everything. I narrowed it down to my precise specifications; I filled out my applications and diligently took the SATs. My final list consisted of eight schools. I thought the hardest part was over; the decision was out of my hands.
Then the acceptance letters came in, and the pressure returned. I had to decide which college to go to, and I had six acceptance letters glaring at me with the dreaded decision dates in bold.
I had just two weeks to decide on a college. Two weeks to make a decision that would determine the entire course of my life.
In reality, this one decision does not have to determine the entire course of your life. Transferring is always an option, and your college isn’t the only facet of your life. But when you have no idea how to pick which college to attend, the decision weighs heavily.
I didn’t decide right away. I believed that hastiness would result in regret. Instead, I let the options sit in my head. I didn’t ignore the decision; I just simply put it on the back burner and let it cook for a while.
I knew what I didn’t want: a huge city, a huge school, or a far location. I could eliminate only one school by that criteria. That left five.
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