Your college list starts with: why?
Has anyone ever asked you why you want to go to college?
Right now, you’re probably bombarded on a daily basis with people asking you about where you are applying and where you plan to go to college. You probably have a few colleges in mind, or you’re not sure, so you come up with your parent’s alma mater just to move the conversation along. You’re probably even tired of people asking because you’re still trying to figure it all out yourself.
The good news is: you don’t have to have an answer right now!
What’s good to be thinking about is: why do you want to go to college?
This question comes from Chapter 1 of The Truth about College Admission: A Family Guide to Getting in and Staying Together by Brennan Barnard & Rick Clark. If you are not familiar with this book, it’s well worth picking up a copy (no affiliate link here just suggesting a fabulous resource for families navigating the college admissions process).
It makes so much sense to think about why so it can help lead you to where. With over 4,000 colleges and universities to choose from in the U.S. alone, it can feel like a daunting task to narrow down your options. Taking time to write down all of the reasons why you want to go to college can bring clarity to building your college list and completing your application. You will have a better sense of what you are looking for in a college beyond simply selecting a name on a college ranking list.
Take a minute and pause here. Get out a piece of paper and your favorite writing tool. I always like getting out a sheet of printer paper and my different colored flair pens when I’m working with a student. You decide what’s most fun for you. Now, write a list or messy brainstorm on the paper with your reasons for why you want to go to college. I’m suggesting you do this “old school” because you will remember your reasoning more clearly and this will serve you well when it comes time to prepare for interviews and write your college essay(s).
Knowing why forms the foundation for building your college list. You are then able to write strong responses to the why us essay question posed by many colleges that are truly seeking to understand why you want to become a member of their campus community.
In fact, starting with why is a foundational stepping stone for just about any decision you make in life. You’ve already had experience with answering this question about sports, art, music, drama, and many other activities you’ve decided to participate in throughout your high school career. So, why do you want to go to college?
This is a big question.
If you are someone with a good idea of what you want your future career to be, your answer to why is related to selecting a college with a particular program of study to get you on track. You are able to connect your why to your career path and the colleges that will best help you achieve your goal. This is one place students start, but you don’t have to be here yet.
It’s okay if you are someone who doesn’t have all of this figured out. Your answer to why will be your vision for college that works for you. There’s nothing wrong with you if you feel like you don’t have it all figured out. In fact, some colleges are even encouraging students to have an open mind when you start and not declare a major. When you allow your college experience to expand your thinking into areas you may have never considered, it could lead you to unexpected places with new learning and perspectives to help you discover where you’re meant to be.
There’s a lot of pressure to feel like you need to have everything planned. This often stems from family members with the best of intentions or social media with catchy article titles about college. Take a breath. Take your time.
