Simple Solutions to Important Questions
The college search can be daunting, with an overwheling array of options and no clear start line. The graphic below shows you how to take two simple but powerful steps on the way to the University of You, and you can here me talk more about these steps on episode 24 of the Tom Talks College podcast.
How do I find the right colleges, and where do we start?
#1 Clarify your needs + wants.
Fill in as much of the University of You Matrix as possible.
Don’t sweat what you don’t know yet. It’s a work in progress.
Avoid lazy words such as “good” and “big.” You’re better than that.
Check out Zoe’s matrix. She’s a rockstar!
Take time to explore colleges online and follow my campus visit rule: Visit early. Visit Often. You’ll be amazed how quickly you’ll go from “um, not sure” to “this is what I need and want,” but it doesn’t happen without effort and energy.
#2 Start by finding A+A options.
Skip those reach schools for now that get you all bunged up about not getting in. Match your matrix with colleges that fit both A’s.
ACCESSIBLE = I will get in.
AFFORDABLE = We can afford it.
Opening your mind to a great experience at a college that ALREADY loves you is the best way to take the stress level down a notch. Maybe the best fit isn’t the one that tells the most students “no.”
The goal is to create a great set of options from which to choose — when it’s time to choose
None of this is intended to create a “drive through” college search process. To do this well, it takes time, energy, patience and sometimes endurance. But it’s 100% worth it.
Next up: How to visit campuses the right way
In two weeks I’ll return to one of my favorite topics, and one which I’ve featured on numerous episodes.
- Ep. 22 8 Takeaways from 11 Campus Visits
- Ep. 21 Pacific Northwest Expedition (or How I Traded My Credit Card Miles for Campus Visits
- Ep. 12 The Low Risk, High Fun, One Hour College Kickstarter Plan
- Ep. 10 Campus Visits, Cilantro and Rodney Dangerfield: How my 3 big takeaways from 31 colleges in 11 days can help your family find the right colleges
- Ep. 9 33 colleges + 9 states + 11 days = The Great College Road Trip
I have no idea what I’ll say, but I’ll come up with something YOU can use to get the most from campus visits on your way to the University of You.
Until then…
Connect with me if you need help building the right list of colleges for your student. Call, email, text or schedule a free consult or 15-minute phone call.
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