To the high school seniors of the world – I remember this time two years ago, mid October, panicking looking at my college applications having no idea what I wanted to do or where I wanted to go. I looked at schools all over the place, mostly in New England, but decided to apply on a whim to this small school in North Carolina. Little did I know I’d fall in love with this school that not only has one of the most beautiful campuses in the country (based on rankings people, not just my personal opinion), but also has become a place that 7,000 of my closest friends and I get to very luckily call home. As you apply to schools that you are equally as obsessed with, here’s a few things about Elon to help sway your opinion.

1. First off, if you are looking at school based on what they look like, Elon is the place for you. Most of the students are convinced that they spend more money on the landscaping than anything else, but most could also argue it's understandable. The grass is greener on both sides, here in North Carolina.
2. Secondly, this place looks like the Ritz Carlton. When you think of college dorms, you typically think: lets squish as many people into a room made for like half a person. However, with Elon you are going to get a gorgeous and spacious dorm room that typically fits two people in a place that two people can actually fit. And with most places on campus, you’ll find you make tons of friends right from the start that will make your freshman year an enjoyable one.
3. In my two years here, I’ve never had a class with more than twenty people. Elon preaches about small class sizes and doesn’t lie. Although it makes it a little harder to skip class when you are having trouble detaching yourself from your mattress in the morning, the small class sizes make for valuable discussions and actually allow you to learn a lot while getting to know your professors.
4. If you have three dollars in your childhood bank account like me, you should considering looking at Elon. Elon is very reasonable priced compared to a lot of other private schools in the country and offer a lot of scholarships to kids who need and deserve them. It is named by Kiplinger’s Personal Finance as a “Best Value” University, naming Elon as the #17 in lowest total cost nationwide for private schools.
5. Every Tuesday morning, when no classes are in schedule, Elon hosts, “College Coffee.” This event happens in one of the common areas outside, weather dependent, and many students, faculty, and staff come out to enjoy breakfast foods and coffee while socializing with both people you know and those involved in different organizations around campus.
6. If you want to come to college and do other things besides just earn a degree, Elon offers a plethora of clubs and activities to get involved in. The org fair happens very early in the year and every club is going to be throwing pens at you probably trying to get you to join. You may sign up for too much and be in over your head, but you’ll figure out what you really want to put time and effort into quickly. Elon also offers Greek organizations for those who are interested, and I’m biased of course but they are a super fun way to get involved and do philanthropy work as well! If you’re anything like me, you’ll get too involved but not want to drop out of anything, so you just deal with it.
7. FOOD. Elon may not have much of a town surrounding the campus, but there are some pretty great restaurants that will pretty much satisfy every food craving you have. Pandora’s for pizza, Tangent for tacos, and the Root for pretty much anything you could ever want. Not to mention, you have an endless supply of Krispy Kreme donuts and Bojangles down the road.

I remember this time during senior year perfectly, and I can’t say I’m particularly fond of those memories. However, keep an open mind with your college apps and you’ll end up finding the place you get to call home for the next four years, the place that you will hopefully grow to love. Maybe you’ll find a home in this little college that’s got a whole lot to give.