Building a college list is the most important part of the college process. Students need viable options where they can thrive, feel part of the community and where they can gain acceptances.
We initially meet with students to better understand their academic aspirations and the potential major they want to study. Even if a student is undecided on what to study, we peak their interest by exposing them to the academic possibilities. While creating the college list we take into consideration a student’s background and identity as well as the interests and passions students hope to pursue during their college experience. This can help determine the type of community they want to be part of. We make sure colleges on the list include specific course offerings of interest as well as a multitude of classes to explore which ultimately gets students eager about visiting schools. Some students know they want an enclosed campus with green space, others want to be in a bustling city. These are important factors when considering which schools to visit. We generally have students take a look at both options to confirm what environment they would feel most comfortable in, and often times it’s both.
Once a college list is created for a student we discuss together why the school could potentially be a good fit. We show students how to navigate the college websites to learn more about the schools and their offerings. Over time the college list continues to evolve and schools are added and taken off the list as students become more in tune with which schools would be a good fit, creating a balanced list. By having a concrete college list students feel more in control of the process, optimistic about college options and excited to start visiting schools.