Admit it. When you were shopping around for colleges, one of the biggest factors, at least at first, was the campus. Who knew that big, stately buildings and sprawling acres upon acres of green, lush land could make such an impact on where you attended college? Take a look at the picture to your left. That's Harvard University. No wonder so many students want to go there...never mind that it's an Ivy League school! Harvard has an amazing campus.

My sister nearly fell into that trap of "campus good, school good." She was dead-set on attending a not-to-be-named Adventist college because of the allure and look of both the campus and the student body. She was completely drawn in by the image they sold, rather than the programs and opportunities that the school afforded.

Needless to say, that's why my sister is now at CUC.

When I signed on to be a student blogger, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't hold anything back or censor myself. I'm honest to a fault when it comes to evaluations of educational institutions...I'll let you know which programs in my college are strongest and which ones might need to do a little extra recruiting. All you have to do is ask me.

But, on that same note, based on experiences I've had, and experiences my close friends have had, I'm also not going to hold back comparing the college I attend with other institutions. Why should I avoid comparisons? It's important for potential students--and even current students--to get all the facts and weigh all the relevant options before making an educated decision.

Speaking of an educated decision, I want to tell you what I think are the most important things to consider when choosing a college, or deciding if and when you should transfer.

1) Does the college you are looking at have your major, or at least a few different majors that interest you that you could choose from? And two, is this major a strong program in that school?
2) Are there work opportunities in the community which surrounds the school that will allow you to gain real-world experience before graduation?
3) Are there extra-curricular activities that interest you, and that won't overpower your other responsibilities?
4) Is the area surrounding the school one that will provide things to do in the evenings and on the weekends? Are you close to a grocery story? Pharmacy? Hospital? Bookstore? Starbucks? Or my personal favorite...sushi?
5) Does the school have a moderate to strict admissions policy?
6) Is the college close to home (i.e. within a reasonable distance).
7) Will the dorm life improve your college experience, or detract from it?
8) Does the school have an active spiritual element?
And finally, what I view is the most important question:
9) Are you wanting to attend this college because your significant other/friends are attending, or because you truly value the educational experience and future career impact that this school offers?

I think that last question has relevance for a lot of high school students, especially Seventh-day Adventist students. So often SDA high-schoolers fall into a, "Well, I'll just go where all my friends go," trap.

I think that's a dangerous way to look at something that will determine the outcome of your life's goals and your career aspirations.

Do you really want to ride on the coattails of someone else? Do you really want to go with the flow, instead of finding your own way?

So many students consider the "here and now," instead of looking toward the future. I've already got a full resume from the experiences CUC has offered me. Some of my friends may have turned up their noses at my college choice when I graduated from high school, saying I should attend the not-to-be-named Adventist college mentioned above or a bigger state school instead.

But, hey guys, guess what? I had my choice of internships this summer, met people crucial to my future life's work, learned a lot about the business world, made networking connections, and I have a full resume on top of that. If I left school now, as a college junior, I could go out and get an entry level PR/Marketing/Advertising job, no problem.

Question is...could you?

Labels: Jaclyn Wile, student blog