The Endicott Experience, Week 10 - Picking the Right College

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

This weekly blog will document my firsthand experiences as a student at Endicott College. Additionally, I will attempt to offer advice to fellow college students or those looking to attend college down the line.

As fun as your senior year of high school may be, it can also be incredibly stressful. Aside from taking the SATs, applying for college is one of the most difficult and time consuming processes one will ever have to go through. The time you start looking at college varies for everyone, but it normally peaks around this time of the year when college applications are due. Dating back to my sophomore year of high school, I had people asking me what colleges I was looking at. I replied back with a dumbfounded answer most of the time because at that point I hadn't looked at any colleges at all. Hell, I didn't even know what I wanted to major in. (By the way, some of what is said in this blog was written in a post at the end of August, so check out that post for more information.)

When I finally decided that my passion was for journalism and that is what I wanted to major in, I started searching for colleges that sparked my interest in the summer before senior year. I went to the open houses of three colleges that October and November and went to an additional one the following April. The second university I visited was Endicott College on November 10, 2012 (one year ago from the day I write this). After taking a tour of the campus, I knew immediately that was exactly where I wanted to be the next year.

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Of course, there are plenty of factors that go into finding the right college. The first and foremost factor is the tuition, as everything else won't matter if you can't afford to go there. There is nothing wrong with going to a community college. Think of it as a stepping stone to where your life will take you next. The next thing you want to look at is whether the college offers your area of study. If Endicott didn't offer any form of journalism, I wouldn't be writing this right now. Don't go to college simply because all your other friends are going there or because it is a nice location. Needless to say, your education should be your number one priority, so make sure that the college has a strong program for what you intend to major in.

The location of the college is also an important factor to keep in mind, and it differs for everyone. If you want to live close to home so your good friends won't be far behind (or even if you want to commute), then you might already have a college in mind that you wish to attend. However, as I have stated in past posts, moving further away from home is the best bet in my opinion because it allows you to have the ultimate college experience and appreciate being home that much more when you eventually leave for break. If you are like me, then you will want to go to school in a different state, but it doesn't necessarily have to be across the county. Endicott is in Massachusetts, the next state over from where I live (Connecticut). You might be someone that strongly desires to go to school somewhere far, far away (or maybe that is the only place that has what you are looking for), but be sure to keep in mind that airfare and travel might be an issue when you want to get home quickly.

Interestingly enough, I don't remember much about the first time I toured Endicott College. I remember having a fun time and liking the campus, but I don't recall any of the specifics of the open house with the exception of what I learned about their school of communications, which was a leading factor in why I ultimately chose to go here. I returned to check out Endicott the following February as well as in the summer for the official orientation, and it was by that point that I was positive that this is where I wanted to be.

That being said, you might not be absolutely sure that you want to go to a college upon the first time you tour the campus. Sometimes it takes a few times before you are completely positive, so don't think that isn't normal for you to feel indifferent about a campus the first time you check it out. See what your school guidance counselor, your parents, the Internet and other sources have to say about the college and whether it is the right fit for you. You might not know right away, but don't wait until the very last minute to make up your mind before it is too late.

That brings me to my next topic of discussion. Applying for college is a strenuous process, so don't procrastinate and wait to fill out every aspect of the application the day before it is due. We all procrastinate sometimes, but these applications might very well determine your future, so don't take them lightly. Fill them out in full, be honest and take your time with them. If you complete a brief portion of each application every day, then you will have nothing to stress about when they are finally due. Don't wait until the last possible minute and risk missing out on an amazing opportunity that you might regret later in life.

Every college (or at least that I know of) has an application fee, so don't go crazy with applying to an excessive amount of universities. Don't apply to just one that you really like, because if aren't accepted (and it isn't the end of the world if you aren't), then you won't have a backup school to attend. Personally, I applied to four colleges, three of which I was accepted into (I had a very small chance of getting into the fourth, but applied anyway just for the heck of it). If you are financially tight, why would you bother applying to a dozen colleges that you either have a small chance of getting into or don't interest you very much? You would be throwing hundreds of dollars out the window, but hey, that is just my two cents.

If you are a senior in high school or will be at some point in the next few years, don't sweat the college process. Yes, it is extremely stressful, time consuming and incredibly important, but if you approach it the correct way, then you shouldn't come across many issues. Also, be sure to talk with your school guidance counselor to find out at what stage of the application process you should be in right now, how you can minimize the stress by organizing yourself, finding colleges near/away from you that fit your major, and much more helpful information.