Big-name schools aren't always best

The popular 'best vs. rest' hierarchy does little to help high school students choose the right college.

from the March 7, 2007 edition

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Students at my own college tell similar stories about how they weighed their college options. I've met students who confidently chose Stonehill College over schools their parents or peers considered "better" because they could compete in varsity athletics here – or because they liked knowing that they would not have to compete to travel to Peru, Honduras, or New Orleans to perform community service in an alternative spring break program. If such opportunities matter, the student should be sure to choose a college where personal goals are attainable.

Students believe they should spend time in their college visits getting a feel for the campus environment – large or small, urban or rural. But in 22 years of working in higher education, I've learned that some rural schools have a vibrant campus life and some urban schools lack vitality, that some small schools are easy to get lost in and some large ones create true learning communities. Size and setting tell only part of the story.

Ultimately, it is far more important to ask questions of everyone on campus about the degree to which students can take responsibility for their own learning and development, about the extent to which they are encouraged toward self-governance, and about just how available faculty and other adult mentors are to help guide them.

From where I sit, both as a parent and as an academic administrator, I say resist the reflex to overvalue the "reach" schools and consider instead the complete package of a college experience. Given the number of well-prepared PhDs in the market, many institutions have first-rate faculties who develop challenging curriculums in their fields. Look for excellent academic programs, but also for undergraduate research, student leadership development, wide-ranging international programs, and opportunities for service. And weigh not only the existence of these programs but also the participation rates of students.

The thrill of impressing people with a brand-name college is rather short-lived. Going to college shouldn't be about reaching a goal framed by others, but about finding a place that can stretch you in new ways – and there's probably more than one perfect place.

As I glance in the rearview mirror and tune in to the edgy banter of this year's applicants, I remember what it took for my oldest daughter to tune out some of the chatter in order to focus on her choice – and to put herself in the driver's seat where selecting a college was concerned.

• Katie Conboy is vice president for academic affairs and professor of English at Stonehill College in Easton, Mass.

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