A couple days ago, I was hanging out in Boston when I saw this large group, or herd rather, of people huddling around a college student. I saw confusion on the kids' faces and the anxiety in the parents’ eyes. A couple kids rushed to finish taking notes as the tour guide began to mention yet another fact about the school. I couldn’t help but laugh to myself. I remember going through this “college process” myself. You know, except I was one of those kids who realized that all of the guide’s scripted info was on the school’s website after I had taken the notes. I wanted to select the perfect school where I would be able to survive and thrive for the next four years.
At first I thought the “perfect” school could only be defined by numbers. High rankings. I thought the perfect college was one that would guarantee me a job. The school that had a great name across the country. The school that accepted a small percent of its applicants. The school that kids traveled across the world to attend. I thought I could make my decision solely by researching schools and their programs online.
When I went on my first college tour, this belief completely shattered. It is amazing how much my approach to selecting colleges has changed. It's pretty funny how the first school I visited is the school I'll be attending in the fall. There’s something special about seeing the school that helps people think about this college selection process realistically. There are a few things that stuck in my mind after visiting my first college, and I suddenly realized that there were so many other factors I needed to take into consideration when it came time to select my school. One of the biggest factors was the community.
The community.
The first thing I noticed at WPI was the amazing community. The school is small, which just brings everybody closer. The moment I stepped onto campus, I felt that it was just another place in my hometown of Chelmsford. I saw people having fun on the quad and it made me want to join the WPI family. Note: I visited the school at least five times after that initial visit. So yes, I was there during the harsh winter when kids were inside. Yes, I was there even when the beautiful fountain was turned off. Yes, the height of the water is engineered to be dependent on the temperature outside. Even though the weather isn't ideal in Worcester, Massachusetts, I could always tell that the kids were having a great time.
Most importantly, I felt safe and comfortable each time I visited the campus. I felt that I would be in good hands and had the support of my peers, the faculty and of course the campus police. Everybody seemed so friendly and all the facilities seemed so accessible. I thought I could fit in if I was going to school there. What I learned most is that I needed to pick a school that I could see myself going to. None of my other college visits could top that first, second, third, fourth, fifth and even sixth visit to WPI. I felt overwhelmed at other schools and felt that I was visiting a museum rather than a new home. A lot of schools have great academic programs, but it's extremely important to trust your gut feeling when you need to make your final decision about schools.
Although WPI will be my new home this fall, no school is "ideal." There were other factors about the school that I took into consideration, but some did not have a significant impact on me. It's strange to discover what truly matters to you.
Distance
OK, so WPI is about 50 minutes away from my house. At first I wanted to move away from Chelmsford, Massachusetts and head out to California or even Texas. I felt that it would be easier to start from scratch and learn a lot about being independent as a college student. Although I had lovingly put UCLA on my list of potential schools (they have an amazing Bollywood dance team), I began to think about my family, my friends and the relationships I have formed with people over the last 18 years of my life. I have been involved with so many events and organizations, whether it be religious groups, school groups or nonprofits. All of these groups are so dear to my heart, and I had spent the majority of my high school with these people and supporting what these groups represented. Yes, I could've traveled elsewhere to seek more opportunities, but I knew I couldn't let these groups go. They have been a great part of my life, and I knew that they still needed to be part of my life.
Oh, and living a little less than an hour away means that I can visit my family and friends on weekends and during the holidays. Laundry won't even be a problem, I think. Plus, I can always visit them when I'm sick, and I'll probably miss them a little less.
School size and class size.
As I mentioned, WPI is a small school. Honestly, the size of the school doesn't matter to me. In my opinion, the class sizes for the program you are accepted into are more important.
WPI typically has small classes, which is appealing. It means that I'll be able to ask more questions and seek extra help when I don't understand how to approach a problem. It means that I'll be able to be heard and have a name. I'll be more than just a number.
Gender ratio.
A lot of people ask me if I'm bothered by WPI's male to female ratio of 2:1. Yes, there are about twice as many boys as girls at WPI. Honestly, I chose to ignore this statistic. I know that some majors have a dense population of girls while other majors have a dense population of boys. This is a STEM school, and it would be nice to see more women exploring fields dominated by men and vice versa.
Food.
So food isn't high on my list of priorities. Some people consider a variety of great food to be a must. The school seems to have good food, but there may not be much variety. Well, at least they have amazing chocolate chip cookies.
The mascot.
Many people won't go to the school if the mascot isn't cool enough. The WPI mascot is a goat. Gompei the Goat. Gompei's a cute mascot, and many people may think he's not tough enough. Do keep in mind that Gompei has horns.You won't even know what hit yah. Watch out.
Although it's stressful picking a college, it is important to see how you actually feel about a college. I'm really glad I chose Worcester Polytechnic Institute. It's a place where people are passionate about learning and leaving a positive impact on the world. I'm really proud to become part of the WPI community.
