Securing a safety net

Camille wrote: “I am very excited and nervous about this whole college application thing. I have one big problem though. I created a list of schools that I seem interested in. None of them are Ivy League schools but they are tough schools too such as NYU, Rutgers, Boston, etc. And the problem is I am not the number 5 in class and my average is about a B. So I don’t know what school to make as my “safe” because all the safe schools aren’t schools that I seem interested in or good schools. So what do you think?”

Thanks for the question, Camille. [And yes, I understand what you mean!] The decision for which schools to label as “safety” is a pretty tough one, especially when the ones you really like are more selective with their admissions. Before I go into that, however, I just want to let you [and everyone else out there] know that just because you aren’t at the top of your class doesn’t mean that 1) you aren’t still awesome and 2) you won’t get into a college that you like. While grades are an important part of your admissions application, they are not the only part. Essays, recommendation letters, and extra-curriculars are also taken into consideration during the review of your application, so don’t count yourself out just yet. And please don’t sell yourself short. I’m sure you worked hard for your B average so you should be proud of yourself. I’ve worked with plenty of student who had less than that and still went to college. So take a deep breath and relax.

From the schools that you named in the post, it seems like you have a pretty good handle on what you’re interested in. Since it sounds like the top two sections of the ‘reach-probably-safety’ list of schools are pretty much filled out, it’s time to focus on the third. A good way to figure out which ones would be a good fit is to apply the criteria for the schools you like to schools that you are confident that you can get accepted to. Figure out why you are attracted to the ones on your list and look for these qualities in other, less competitive schools. For example, if you like larger schools in urban/highly populated areas [like the ones you mentioned], then maybe you would be interested in schools like Temple University or the University of Maryland. Websites like CollegeBoard and the Princeton Review have search engines where you can do this with relative ease. The key is to find ones that will fit in with what you need to be a successful college student. If you are concerned that they aren’t “good” schools, visit them to find out for sure. Trust me, once you set foot on a campus you will be able to tell if you can see yourself there for the next few years, or if you should keep looking.

There is no way to guarantee that you will be accepted into any school, but the only way guarantee that you won’t get in is by not applying. College admissions is a bit of a crap shoot, so stay positive. Don’t let a school’s hype intimidate you and make you think that your accomplishments aren’t good enough… because they are! Keep in mind that what makes any school a “good” one is its ability to help you reach your dreams. It may not be the one ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report or the one whose basketball team makes it to the Final Four every year, but it will be the one that is right for you.

the upside of “undecided”

some people enter the college admissions process with a clear idea of what they want to be when they “grow up.” they know what they want to do, where they want to go for grad/professional school (because that’s where most people end up!), where they plan to live… their lives are completely mapped out. in their heads, at least. they don’t have to go through the ‘oh crap, i need to pick a major’ panic attack that hits the majority of high school & college students when it comes time to make that decision. making that choice is tough, even if you have an idea of what you want to do. that act of writing it down and making it official is what gets a lot of people all riled up.
at columbia, we had to formally declare our major at the end of sophomore year, and i remember my roommie having a series of minor breakdowns at the thought of declaring, even though she knew exactly what she wanted to do. i, on the other hand, never took it seriously, and officially changed my major like 5 times before graduation and didn’t truly realize what i wanted to do with myself until almost a year after i graduated. this may sound weird and flaky (and it kind of is, i’ll admit it), but it worked out because all of the trial and error helped me figure out what i didn’t want to do.
this option often goes unused, with students thinking that once they make a choice they have to stick to it… or else. which is completely not true! trying different things and ruling out the ones that don’t work gives you a foundation for making an informed decision when the time comes. and even if you choose something that turns out to be a bad fit, there is always an out. in a way, choosing a major is a lot like dating: you don’t marry someone on the first date; you have to see what they’re like and if you really like them. if not, you’re just setting yourself up for an unhappy time.
it is important to remember that nothing is set in stone. ever. the ‘intended major’ that you put on your application can be changed once you get to campus. the ‘declared major’ that goes on your official papers can be changed, usually until a semester before graduation. keep in mind that making changes later in the game could cause you to have additional coursework and perhaps add extra time to your undergraduate career, but don’t let that stop you if it is something that you really want to do. happiness is key, because there is nothing better than doing what you love. trust me.

single sex colleges: worth it?

Q: “what do you know about all girl colleges, especially ones that are not near coed  colleges? can you still have a fun college experience? my parents want me to go so i  can focus and get good grades, but i also want to have fun in school. i guess i really want to go to graduate school also, so should i think about all girl schools and remember that my future is #1?”

A. there has been a debate raging in education in the past decade or so about the importance (some say necessity) of single sex schools, especially for women. proponents argue that such environments are more supportive of their students. this argument tends to be used in the case of female environments, where the absence of males is supposed to empower women to speak their minds more freely and become who they really are rather than who they think guys want them to be. such schools also boast that their female students have higher self-esteems than the women at coed college. opponents of single sex colleges argue that such homogeneous environments actually hinder the growth and professional development of its students because they aren’t prepared to deal with the opposite sex once they enter the working world. (interestingly, these same arguments are often used in debates about historically black colleges and universities [HBCUs].)

while both sides make valid points, it is important to understand where your personal strengths and weaknesses lie before making the decision of going to a single sex college. if you can’t stand being around all females all the time, then you may not want to go to an all women college, especially one that isn’t close to a coed one. some women (myself included) need a ‘guy vibe’ to balance out the insanity that interacting with other women sometimes brings about [opinion!]. on the other hand, if you are intimidated by guys and know that it is hard for you to be yourself around them in an academic setting, then maybe an all female school is a good place for you. (i emphasized ‘academic setting’ because being shy around guys socially is normal, and doesn’t necessarily mean that you can’t learn around them.)

also, recognize your motives in seeking out a single sex environment. do you want to go because you want to be around intellectual women or because you think that an all female setting will help you “focus and get good grades”? remember, guys aren’t the only distractions that college brings about, so a homogeneous environment doesn’t automatically equate to academic success. both single sex and coed schools can be the most enjoyable experience in the world or quite the opposite, depending on the school itself. no matter where you go, it will be important to make sure that it fits your needs and has the support systems in place for you to do well. if grad school is in your future, any academically rigorous setting will be a great preparation, regardless of the population.