Growing up, I dreamed about college. I thought about how my dream campus would look, the friends I would make, the clubs I would join and what I would major in. As I started looking at colleges in high school, I began to make a list of what characteristics the school would have to have. As I narrowed down the number of schools, I realized that Carroll University offered all of the things I was looking for. These are a few of the reasons why I chose Carroll U---
Location: Carroll’s campus is located in the residential area of Waukesha, WI. This alone made me feel comfortable knowing that I did not have to worry about my safety while walking alone on campus at night. Downtown Waukesha is about a five-minute walk from campus, which offers quaint coffee shops, restaurants and even some night life. In the warmer months, there is even a farmer’s market and Music in the Park. The key thing that sold me is that Carroll is close to home, specifically 33 minutes. This helps with my daily commute to and from campus.
Size: With a total student population of approximately 3,500 students, I knew that I would just not be a number at Carroll. Coming from a smaller high school, I loved the fact that I knew all of my teachers and classmates. Thus, I wanted a similar experience at Carroll. Although I do not know every single person in my class or even on campus, my professors do know me by name. Class sizes at Carroll are also small, usually having 22 students on average. This is great when taking college classes, because you are able to build a relationship with your professor and classmates. At bigger schools, this may be impossible due to the size of the campus.
Program of Study: When I decided I wanted to go to school to become a physical therapist, that was one big determinant in my college search. I wanted to attend a college that was known to have a good program. Carroll University not only has a wonderful PT program, but offers direct admission into grad school to high school seniors. This gave the school an up among all of my other top choices.
The History: Carroll University was the first college to be established in the state of Wisconsin. Because of this, the campus is enriched in history which can be see among the buildings (which results in great Instagram pics). The campus’ atmosphere also has a pioneer spirit which leads to great school pride.
I am so happy that I was able to find my dream school and have the opportunity to attend it. Being able to walk on campus and feel so at home helped me realize that this is where I belong; I hope every high school senior gets to experience this same revelation on their college visits.
