[Ryan]

Today was our last day of school, meaning I graduate in year. Lately I've been trying to set up a list of schools to visit this summer and in the fall, but I realized my methods for finding schools are rather, well, incomplete. I use The Princeton Review and the College Board's website to find and research schools, as well as occasionally searching for a school whose mailer I receive, but my primary method has been relying of the various personalized searches these websites provide, which, I'm sure, must mean I'm missing schools that could otherwise suit me well.

So far, my list of possible schools includes:

• Trinity University (San Antonio, TX)
• Pitzer College (Claremont, CA)
• Claremont McKenna College (Claremont, CA)
• Rice University (Houston, TX)
• Reed College (Portland, OR)
• University of Texas at Austin (Austin, TX)
• Pomona College (Claremont, CA)
• Oberlin College (Oberlin, OH)
• University of the Pacific (Stockton, CA)
• Occidental College (Los Angeles, CA)
• Southwestern University (Georgetown, TX)
• St. John's College (Annapolis, MD/Santa Fe, NM)
• University of Chicago (Chicago, IL)

(This list is somewhat in order of current preference)

I honestly don't know what I want to do for a living. I sometimes consider becoming a band director, but I also enjoy law and debate. International relations intrigues me, and so does computer science. I'm trying to closely follow the upcoming presidential election, but I'm also trying to follow rumors of a new wide angle prime lens from Canon.

My interests are quite diverse, making me question if I'll be happy pigeon-holing myself into a specific major, which leads me to consider a liberal arts school where I could somewhat explore my interests at first, and decide on a major at the end of my sophomore year.

The only thing I know I hate is laboratory sciences.

So, how did you find your school, and, later on, career? Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should go about finding schools?

[atomicbartbeans]

I only have, uh, 13 days of high school left.

Enjoy your senior year; it goes by super fast!

[sirnick4]

[Biased Opinion]

The University of Texas at Austin has a LOT to offer. The fine arts college is top-notch. I am a music major (Choral Music Studies, a.k.a. Music Education). The faculty and staff are amazing. To be honest, I can't imagine going anywhere else.

If you choose not to be a band director, all of the possible career choices that you mentioned are great here as well.

Austin is also a great place to live. There are plenty of things to do

Good luck with choosing. It's fun/stressful/hard to choose a University.

[/Biased Opinion]

[Sauvblanc]

Originally Posted by Ryan The only thing I know I hate is laboratory sciences.

*looks up from lab bench full of test tubes, beakers and lab animals*

Excuse me? C'mere a little closer and say that again...

On Friday I'm going to France for 2 weeks because my wife has a SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE there, and later on I'm going to Australia because I have a SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE there as well. All travel on the taxpayer's dime. God, I love science.

As for schools...heck I just picked the one that let me get into a PhD program right away without the MSc pitstop. But since I'm Canadian can't help you otherwise...

[jdcfsu]

I picked my college sometime around the age of 5 which probably isn't typical.

Since you don't have a particular major in mind, pick a school you really like and visit it. See if you can sit in on a few classes just to see how they really work because what schools show in their tours and what actually happens can be few and far between -- they'll only show you the really nice classroom buildings and dorms so be sure to get a sampling of everything you're in for.

Talk to people at the schools that don't have anything to do with the admissions office. Sending an email to someone you found on the website (or student directory as a lot of schools have those online) wont hurt anything. Sending an email to a professor might also be an easy way to see about sitting in on the class if you plan to visit the school.

Most schools, even non liberal arts schools, encourage exploration of majors. At Florida State I declared as an Entrepreneurship major at the end of my Freshmen year but was told that I could take two intro classes from other majors pass/fail. This way I could explore their subject matter without worrying about a grade. If I wanted to continue in that field, then I didn't have to take the class over again.

As for your career, I wouldn't worry about that right now. Focus on a school that you really feel comfortable at and decide to go there. Once that's done tackle the major by taking a broad range of classes freshmen year until something captures your interest. You don't have to declare until you reach 60 credit hours so you will have plenty of time to explore and find something you like.

Either way enjoy your senior year and your college search. Don't let it overwhelm you. If a school just doesn't feel right, don't give it a second thought.

Good luck.

[Yontsey]

I live by Oberlin College in Ohio. It's a nice place in a nice lil town. Im about 30 min away. I play football and soccer out at this sportsplex type place in Oberlin.

Fiscally speaking though, I would look to stay in state and look at state schools becuase they are much cheaper. Life in the long run will be much easier without being $100,000+ in debt of school loans.

As far as not knowing what you wanna do, don't worry about it your first year. You will have to take the basic core classes that you will need for any degree and during that time you can talk to professors or other students or do some more research about what field you wanna presue.

[rasmits]

While you're visiting all those west coast schools in CA and OR, why not come up here?

Most of those look like private colleges, so maybe you're not interested, but Univ. of Washington is a dandy school, as is Univ. of British Columbia.

That said, OR, WA and BC all have some amazingly good private (and public) liberal arts schools.

But of course everyone is going to root for their own school, so I doubt you'll get a very concise idea. Just visit as many schools as you can, I guess, and form your own opinion.

[turtle]

I can't really help you with the college hunt. I'm now 32 and going into my sophomore year at a community college. I went into the Navy right out of high school and didn't plan to do anything but the Navy at that time.

After being in the Navy for a while I figured out that I was going to have to get a full time job after "retiring" from the Navy. So I chose to start my life over again at 29 instead of 38 (when I would have retired). I'm not a photography major which has nothing to do with my previous job experiences.

My point is to be open about what you want to do "when you grow up." If you don't know right now, then don't sweat it. Think about how you want to live your life though. I started to pursue a law degree until I was the friends of mine who are lawyers rarely have personal time. Let alone family time. I didn't want to live that way. The money would be good, but I would like time with my family too.

Beyond that, I'd recommend staying in state. Texas has some great schools and of all flavors too. No need in paying out-of-state tuition with the schools you have within the state.

[Wyatt]

Originally Posted by Ryan My interests are quite diverse, making me question if I'll be happy pigeon-holing myself into a specific major, which leads me to consider a liberal arts school where I could somewhat explore my interests at first, and decide on a major at the end of my sophomore year.

You should keep in mind that your major doesn't necessarily dictate what your career will be. I'm finishing college next spring, and I'll have a degree in journalism and a minor in computer information systems. I'm much more interested in IT jobs, but I didn't major in that field.

I have plenty of experience in both fields, and I'm more than qualified to work in both. By the time I graduate, I'll have three years experience in an IT office (including two as a Web application developer) and two years experience in several journalism fields, including writing, editing, publication design and video production.

The more options you provide yourself, the better off you will be. Major or minor in something that will be useful no matter what you do. For example, I'm a journalism major, and that helps employers in IT know that I have stronger communication skills than most of the applicants they're getting. People interviewing me for journalism jobs know that I can do a lot of different things for their organization. I could write, edit and design for print, or I can do all three for the Web. No matter what field I'm working in, everything I've done in college will benefit me.

Areas that will benefit you no matter what include English, business and foreign languages (especially Spanish).

You can also help yourself by adding a minor that seems on the surface like it's totally unrelated. Diversifying as much as you can shows employers that you have range. Philosophy is a great minor for this. I seriously wish I had time to add it.

Of course, more than anything, just follow your heart. Don't do what you *think* you should do. Explore a bit and do what you *want* to do. I love what I'm doing now, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Three years ago (or even two years ago), I would have thought somebody was crazy if they said I'd be a journalism major. Now I'm scrambling to cram the whole major in (I switched just before my junior year). As it turns out, I only have to take three classes my last semester, so I'm going to take *extra* journalism classes for fun.

Don't stress about your decision, but don't take it lightly. After my freshman year, I decided to transfer to another school. I made the decision in less than an hour, and I regretted it for an entire year. I can't regret it entirely because I grew so much as a person during that year, but the past year would have been a lot easier if I hadn't made that decision. Take your time and visit as many schools as you can. Sit in on classes. Talk to professors and students if you can.

Good luck, Ryan.

[Ryan]

sirnick: Did you get in with the Texas Top Ten policy or on your own merit? I rank at about the 48th percent at my school, 177 out of about 350, and I'm having trouble figuring out how that's going to affect my chances at Austin. My GPA is 3.50, weighted, and I'm not sure how that affects my chances at *any* school.

fcgriz: I realize that my major doesn't dictate my career. At this point, I'm considering a major in either political science or history with a minor in music, but none of that is set in stone, though that minor is very appealing. Possibly even a double major, depending on the requirements of the school I choose.

Thanks for the advice guys. I was finally fed up with the almost condescending tone of the search sites that I decided to ask some people who've actually been through this for advice.

[Foj]

About the only advice I can give is if you have trouble picking, you can always go with the dart board method.

[EmC]

Remember that you don't have to go to a big name university to get a great education. Nor do you have to go to a major university right out of high school.

I graduated high school and moved to go to GaTech a week later. I thought I had it all figured out. Top ranked school, great program, and all that "important stuff." I had a great time. Marching band, football games, great professors, and great people. One problem, I hated what I was studying.

What I did discover, was that I enjoyed my tutoring job more than the subject I was studying. I came home and went to a great two year school and then went on to a state university to get my B.S. in Math and a teaching certificate.

I graduated from college last year and wrapped up my first year as a high school math teacher this week. I absolutely love what I do.

It is good that you have started thinking about this now. Most kids wait until March or April to start worrying about it. Look into some good two year schools in the same states as your major university choices. The credits will transfer and will be a lot cheaper.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by EmC It is good that you have started thinking about this now. Most kids wait until March or April to start worrying about it. Look into some good two year schools in the same states as your major university choices. The credits will transfer and will be alot cheaper.

Trust me, I've been looking into colleges for at least a year.

One program that I've been giving serious consideration to is Trinity University's B.A. in Music/M.A. in Teaching five-year program, along with another major, most likely history or political science, though I've considering sociology (I'm always been intrigued by the interactions of groups and populations) or maybe even computer science.

[EmC]

If you are seriously considering becoming a band director it is a very good idea to pick up a bachelor's degree in a content area that is in high demand such as math or a science. There are a lot fewer of those job positions available. School systems will often higher from within when a director position opens.

[cosus]

I'd avoid Claremont if I could ever could.

[autodata]

University education can basically be split into two general categories: quantitative and qualitative. The quantitative side is a more surefire path to a well-paying job in most cases except law.

Personally, I'm going to encourage my kids to do a math-heavy major like math, stats, engineering, etc (it really doesn't matter) and whatever they want for a minor, although liberal arts would be preferable.

Most people I grew up with and know now have done very well for themselves, but those who did analytical undergrad majors have had a significantly easier time. My wife (who has a stats undergrad and was basically handed a position as a financial exec due to it) has pointed out a few times how many engineering majors are in her top-ranked MBA program.

[sirnick4]

Originally Posted by Ryan sirnick: Did you get in with the Texas Top Ten policy or on your own merit? I rank at about the 48th percent at my school, 177 out of about 350, and I'm having trouble figuring out how that's going to affect my chances at Austin. My GPA is 3.50, weighted, and I'm not sure how that affects my chances at *any* school.

I was no. 19 (out of 760) in my class. My SAT scores could have been higher. That being said, Texas legislators (I believe) are talking about getting rid of the top ten percent rule. I think the rule is ridiculous. It's not fair for small/competive schools. I don't know if the rule has been changed yet.

Originally Posted by EmC If you are seriously considering becoming a band director it is a very good idea to pick up a bachelor's degree in a content area that is in high demand such as math or a science. There are a lot fewer of those job positions available. School systems will often higher from within when a director position opens.

Not necessarily true. It all depends on where you are trying to get a job. If it's in, let's say, Houston or Dallas, there are PLENTY of jobs. You just have to be smart when applying. Texas, in general, has a good music teacher job market. Organizations such as TMEA help find jobs for music teachers.

If you choose to be a band director, Ryan, it's ALL about NETWORKING. Get to know people. It helps. Trust me.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by cosus I'd avoid Claremont if I could ever could.

Is there a reason for that?

Originally Posted by sirnick4 I was no. 19 (out of 760) in my class. My SAT scores could have been higher. That being said, Texas legislators (I believe) are talking about getting rid of the top ten percent rule. I think the rule is ridiculous. It's not for fair for small/competive schools. I don't know if the rule has been changed yet.

I sure hope they get rid of it. I go to a district that includes the cities of three major oil companies, and many smaller ones, and we have *hundreds* of students from overseas, particularly Asia, who trounce the rest of the school academically. Right now it looks like our valedictorian will be a Chinese who's here on his parents' H1-B visa. I'm not saying this is bad, just interesting how hard it is for the American students to keep up with them.

(It also doesn't help that my school refuses to honor any of my 5.0 classes from California. )

Originally Posted by EmC If you are seriously considering becoming a band director it is a very good idea to pick up a bachelor's degree in a content area that is in high demand such as math or a science. There are a lot fewer of those job positions available. School systems will often higher from within when a director position opens.

If I chose that route, I wouldn't be worried about finding a job in Texas. Like sirnick said, there are tons of positions in the four major Texas cities available.

[sirnick4]

One more thing...

On the whole top ten percent thing, there are ways around it. If the UT music school sees talent, they WILL accept you. Academic advisors can do a lot of things behind the scenes to get you into the university. Many of my friends were in the same boat.

[Windswept]

As you may know, US News and World Report does an annual ranking of US colleges.

The main article for 2007, with categories of colleges:

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/col...ndex_brief.php

Here's their list of the top 100 liberal arts schools. I think I noticed that Reed in Portland is #53. Pomona is rated #7. Between the two, I'd probably pick Portland, because it seems like such a great city; but I've only been there in summertime, so... (I think they get a fair amount of rain in the winter).

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/col...rtco_brief.php

I personally think, that all things being equal, it would be *really* nice to go to a college set in a beautiful location. I think there's a lot to be said for being surrounded by beauty everywhere you look. Nature's loveliness soothes the soul.

I think it would be nice NOT to be even 'near' a massively crowded area, jammed with people, vehicles, noise and pollution. Ugh with a capital U! I feel stressed out just 'thinking' about such a location.

Instead, some out-of-the-way place, surrounded by lush landscaping and ocean or river views, would be ideal. Such an atmosphere should appeal to the artist in your photographer's soul. Yes?

First, you have to know how much you can afford to spend. That is where you have to start. If your parents can afford to send you to an out-of-state, liberal arts college, then you should consider yourself really lucky, because in that case, you'll be able to go pretty much wherever you want.

Knowing that you hate lab sciences is a big plus, because that aversion eliminates a lot of possible majors. I think you should consider photography a hobby and 'not' a career, so that eliminates 'that' as a major. (OR... you could minor in photography, if such a minor is even offered.)

Of the things you mentioned, I think international relations sounds like an interesting field of study. Our world is increasingly a global community, and being well-versed in the history and culture of many nations should be a plus in 'various' fields of endeavor down the road.

How social and outgoing are you? How good are you at learning languages? With the above major, you could consider going into the diplomatic service. (Ryan X. - our ambassador to the United Kingdom. )

On the other hand, along the way, you'd have to serve in lower level diplomatic posts in scary places like Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and so forth, so you might be putting your life at risk for years at a time. Yikes!

And/or, with that same major in International Relations, you could minor in business and then get your Master's in International Management. The companies who have gone global would snap you up. But that's only if the 'business' world doesn't turn you off.

Band director - those jobs don't fall open very frequently, and there aren't that many of them to begin with. Plus, depending on the level, you'd get ensnared in doing a 'lot' of the BS that regular teachers are plagued with. Urk! But if the job really appeals to you, such problems are a side issue.

I wanted to be a foreign correspondent, so I started off by majoring in journalism. Then a reporter came to speak to us as a guest speaker, and she told us 'not' to major in journalism, but to stock up on history and literature courses to get a well-rounded background. So, I switched to an English major, with a minor in Russian.

I never did become a foreign correspondent. I don't think I regret it though, because I really would 'hate' to be working under deadlines all the time; and if that's what they have to do, if that's the kind of pressure they're under, I'd hate that kind of stress.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Windswept I personally think, that all things being equal, it would be *really* nice to go to a college set in a beautiful location. I think there's a lot to be said for being surrounded by beauty everywhere you look. Nature's loveliness soothes the soul. I think it would be nice NOT to be even 'near' a massively crowded area, jammed with people, vehicles, noise and pollution. Ugh with a capital U! I feel stressed out just 'thinking' about such a location. Instead, some out-of-the-way place, surrounded by lush landscaping and ocean or river views, would be ideal. Such an atmosphere should appeal to the artist in your photographer's soul. Yes?

Indeed. If only I could find a great university near Yellowstone.

Actually, I've never thought that photography would turn into anything more than a hobby for me. As much as I enjoy it, I think I'd be more successful with a different job.

First, you have to know how much you can afford to spend. That is where you have to start. If your parents can afford to send you to an out-of-state, liberal arts college, then you should consider yourself really lucky, because in that case, you'll be able to go pretty much wherever you want.

I've never been able to get my dad to zero in on how much he can afford to help. He still has some promotions left, but the real problem is we severely underestimated the cost of living here. It's actually *higher* than living in the San Francisco Bay Area, despite our house costing a third of what our old one sold for and having no mortgage payments! As part of that, his plans for college costs were thrown off.

Of the things you mentioned, I think international relations sounds like an interesting field of study. Our world is increasingly a global community, and being well-versed in the history and culture of many nations should be a plus in 'various' fields of endeavor down the road. How social and outgoing are you? How good are you at learning languages? With the above major, you could consider going into the diplomatic service. (Ryan X. - our ambassador to the United Kingdom. ) On the other hand, along the way, you'd have to serve in lower level diplomatic posts in scary places like Pakistan, Uzbekistan, and so forth, so you might be putting your life at risk for years at a time. Yikes!

I've been learning French for the past three years, but I don't plan on taking a fourth (I can't stand the French IV teacher at my school). I hope to travel someday, possibly to Eastern Europe, hopefully for a semester abroad.

On a related note, a friend of mine from California is currently applying for an internship in Seoul. His goal is to be the American ambassador to South Korea, and it's been interesting to watch how he tries to get there.

Band director - those jobs don't fall open very frequently, and there aren't that many of them to begin with. Plus, depending on the level, you'd get ensnared in doing a 'lot' of the BS that regular teachers are plagued with. Urk! But if the job really appeals to you, such problems are a side issue.

Schools in major cities here are *booming*. For example, my district just opened it's sixth high school (in fact, I'll be in its first graduating class), and at the last school board meeting, they had blueprints on display for number *eleven*.

On a completely different topic, I also have a *crapload* of extracurriculars. I've been in band since elementary school, a part of the one the best high school music programs in the country, and have received excellent ratings at regional Solo/Ensemble contest, and my ensemble has advanced to state, which is this Saturday. I'll also be the founding president of my school's chapter of the Junior State of America next year, as well as possibly on the Academic Decathlon team. I was also a finalist, but was forced to decline due to a scheduling conflict, for my school's team for the national ACSL computer science contest.

[World Leader Pretend]

You, my friend, need to come to Kansas State. Yes, it is in Kansas... and yes you may think Kansas is stupid but hey, it is worth a look. As a current resident of the area I can vouch that the town is really friendly and welcoming. It is a larger University, 24,000+ at least... and has a beautiful campus. Cost of living is fairly low compared to other college towns and everything is in walking/biking distance. Sports are doing great, and academics are performing well. The college of Architecture, Engineering, Vet Med, and Business are very well known and respected.


The student population is very big into events and sports. Here is the basketball stadium 2 hours before tip-off. Notice how the student sections (7,000+ seats) are completely full! I would know, since I was there The game was a sellout.



I would definitely look at KSU, it seems to fit your criteria well. In any event, good luck wherever you end up!

[Windswept]

Originally Posted by Ryan I've never been able to get my dad to zero in on how much he can afford to help. He still has some promotions left, but the real problem is we severely underestimated the cost of living here. It's actually *higher* than living in the San Francisco Bay Area, despite our house costing a third of what our old one sold for and having no mortgage payments! As part of that, his plans for college costs were thrown off.

Well, if he has been sort of avoiding the issue, then I'm afraid that's not a good sign. It might mean that going to a Texas school is what will be in the cards for you. I've heard and read that Austin is a really cool place, so that might be a good choice.

I've been learning French for the past three years, but I don't plan on taking a fourth (I can't stand the French IV teacher at my school). I hope to travel someday, possibly to Eastern Europe, hopefully for a semester abroad.

A semester abroad would be great! I keep seeing lots of trips to Croatia advertised. Must be a pretty cool place to visit.

On a completely different topic, I also have a *crapload* of extracurriculars. I've been in band since elementary school, a part of the one the best high school music programs in the country, and have received excellent ratings at regional Solo/Ensemble contest, and my ensemble has advanced to state, which is this Saturday. I'll also be the founding president of my school's chapter of the Junior State of America next year, as well as possibly on the Academic Decathlon team. I was also a finalist, but was forced to decline due to a scheduling conflict, for my school's team for the national ACSL computer science contest.

Wow! That's quite an array of accomplishments, Ryan. Many congratulations on all your pursuits. They should be a big help in the college acceptance game.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by Windswept Well, if he has been sort of avoiding the issue, then I'm afraid that's not a good sign. It might mean that going to a Texas school is what will be in the cards for you. I've heard and read that Austin is a really cool place, so that might be a good choice.

Oops, I must have worded that paragraph poorly. He isn't avoiding the question, he just hasn't been able to figure it out yet. I've been pressing him to work the numbers, but he's just so busy with his job he hasn't had time.

[autodata]

Originally Posted by Windswept As you may know, US News and World Report does an annual ranking of US colleges.

I have to say that it's very important to look at rankings, and specifically the US News rankings, with a healthy degree of skepticism. Rankings are certainly a decent general indicator in many cases, but some of the criteria for ranking is just garbage. Some schools have rankings that make absolutely no sense. There's one school in my area with a fantastic looking program in my field that's not even ranked at all and I've been unable to find anyone, even people who teach there, who can provide a good explanation for it.

[sirnick4]

Originally Posted by Ryan On a completely different topic, I also have a *crapload* of extracurriculars. I've been in band since elementary school, a part of the one the best high school music programs in the country, and have received excellent ratings at regional Solo/Ensemble contest, and my ensemble has advanced to state, which is this Saturday. [/url] computer science contest.

Dude, I'm working at TSSEC this year. I'm in Phi Mu Alpha, the music fraternity. Maybe I'll see you there.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by sirnick4 Dude, I'm working at TSSEC this year. I'm in Phi Mu Alpha, the music fraternity. Maybe I'll see you there.

Our clarinet ensemble is performing in the Chem and Petrol Engineering building, in case that's where you'll be working.

[BuonRotto]

OK, seriously, visit these places. Pick some departments you'd be interested in, and see what they're like. See what the students are like. See what the town is like. You really can't pick a college from a book or others' experiences.

[Ryan]

Originally Posted by BuonRotto OK, seriously, visit these places. Pick some departments you'd be interested in, and see what they're like. See what the students are like. See what the town is like. You really can't pick a college from a book or others' experiences.

I'm planning on visiting many of these schools. I already have plans to visit Trinity next week, and I'm researching my visit to UT-Austin right now, as well as Rice. I'm going to try and visit the West Coast schools this fall, since I really only have one chance to visit, and I'd rather do that when classes are in session.

[Partial]

University of Wisconsin - Madison is in the top 10 universities in the world to graduate from.

Ideally, if I were you i'd shoot for UW, Ann Arbor, or Illinois @ Champagne.

Texas is good but it is so HOT there.

Big ten has the best universities in the world.

Originally Posted by autodata I have to say that it's very important to look at rankings, and specifically the US News rankings, with a healthy degree of skepticism. Rankings are certainly a decent general indicator in many cases, but some of the criteria for ranking is just garbage. Some schools have rankings that make absolutely no sense. There's one school in my area with a fantastic looking program in my field that's not even ranked at all and I've been unable to find anyone, even people who teach there, who can provide a good explanation for it.

Ding ding ding, you hit it right on the money.

The schools listed are primarily larger, more well-known schools. My school has much better engineering placement than Wisconsin - Madison, but would certainly never be on the list to its low enrollment and the fact they accept everyone(while they accept everyone, about 1/10th of the people that enter engineering graduate with a degree in it from their. Probably less).