Our region has any number of prestigious options for students, but it’s important to keep in mind that high-ranking colleges and universities may not always be the best fit. Keith Wilkerson’s clients often ask him if a school is “good.” “There are two more words that belong in that question,” says the CEO of the King of Prussia-based prep service CollegeThoughts. “Is this a good school for me? If you’re honest in the process, the process tends to be honest with you.”
Here are five things that often matter more than a school’s ranking.
- Size. It’s always the first thing Wilkerson discusses with a student. “If you’re at a school that’s really large, you have less access to professors,” he says. “But the classes are more lectured-based, so you don’t have the pressure of being called on.” A smaller school provides a more intimate, personalized experience.
- Academic Environment. Are you looking for a high level of academic rigor or a setting where the pressure is more balanced? “Are people there to get their degree, or are they also thinking about other aspects of the college experience?” Wilkerson poses.
- Student Life. Will your fellow students be community-oriented or business-minded? Will they be risk-takers? “A lot of students have never thought about the fact that these are not just going to be your classmates—they’re going to be the people you’re living with,” says Wilkerson. “Do you want fraternities and sororities? Are there particular clubs or activities you want to be involved in? Is everybody at the game painted different colors on the weekend, or is that not incredibly important to you?”
- Location. “Though most kids say they want to go to the four corners of the earth, the data shows that most go to school within 50 miles of where they currently live,” says Wilkerson.
- Return on Investment. Research where alumni end up after graduation. If you’re banking on medical school, what’s the placement rate out of the college you’re interested in? “One of the schools in the region that has the highest pass rate for the nursing exam is the Community College of Philadelphia, but when you say to somebody, ‘If you want to be a nurse, you really should look at community college,’ they’re taken aback,” Wilkerson says. “Are we trying to be a nurse or are we trying to impress the neighbors?”
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Answer these questions and follow the arrows to see which of six regional schools might be right for you.
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