Recently, I attended a college counseling event with my freshman in high school. It was informative with opportunities for students (and parents) to ask questions and begin to think about college aspirations and their future as high school students. At the end of the evening, students were given a worksheet and asked to list their interests, extracurriculars, possible majors of study, and colleges of interest. My son and his friend were conferring as they wrote their list. They both were in sync, identifying the same colleges, and this task seemed to come quite easily. Based on my son’s GPA, he had some likely, match, and reach schools, as well as a few of what I call “wild cards,” schools that even though on paper he looks like he could be admitted, there are far too many competitive applicants to consider it more than a wild card or lottery.
As I studied the list more carefully, I noticed a pattern emerging…it was almost all the top ranked schools in NCAA college basketball and a couple of other colleges they theorized might make it to the Sweet Sixteen in the playoffs. I share this example to illustrate that students make college lists based on many factors, but this is one I had not previously considered. While unlikely to be the final list of colleges my son will apply to, it’s as good of a rationale as any to start building a list to explore. With high school juniors in some stage of creating or finalizing the list of schools where they will apply to college, it’s useful to consider the tapestry of influences that shape students' and parents' perceptions and preferences. External Influences: Students and parents frequently draw inspiration from various external sources when crafting their college lists. These may include:
Personal Factors: Individual experiences and aspirations also play a pivotal role in shaping college preferences:
Unconscious Influences: It's essential to recognize that many influences on college selection operate on a subconscious level:
Navigating the College Search: Despite the myriad of influences at play, students and parents must approach the college search process with intentionality and open-mindedness:
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