College application
College application in a free large country can be challenging because of the large selection.
The goal is straightforward: apply to the best college that one can be admitted. However, both "best" and "can be admitted" are hard to determine.
What is the best college for one student may be so-so for another. For example, Harvard may be the best college for many but some students may never consider it.
Determining whether a highly selective college can admit someone is difficult too. It is relatively easy in some countries such as the PRC where college entrance exam scores are the most important factor. In free countries like the US, colleges weigh many factors.
Selecting a college is easy for two types of students:
- The most competitive ones (e.g., those who have the highest GPAs and SAT scores, or win prestigious awards such as medals of International Mathematical Olympiad, National Science Olympiad). They do not need to worry about which colleges can admit them. They just need to find the best colleges for their interest. They usually get full scholarships.
- Those who just want a college degree and don't care about education quality. Many colleges can offer a degree to anyone who can pay and put in some minimal effort.
The vast majority of high school graduates do not belong to these two groups, so they have to face the challenging job of selecting colleges to apply to.
A college provides two things to a student:
- Education - knowledge, skills (lab skills, critical and analytical thinking skills, learning skills), and possible character building (ethics, discipline, sense of responsibility). This is by far the most important aspect.
- Its reputation and connection. Understandably, many institutions have biases in admitting or employing college graduates. For example, some firms target only a few top colleges in their recruitment. Some professional schools (e.g., medical schools) may favor top college graduates.
The above two usually are highly correlated. High-ranking colleges often deserve their ranks by offering high-quality education. However, what is a good education depends on individuals. A high school graduate who is determined to come home to help manage a family business (e.g., a farm, a factory, a store) may not care about a college rank while a student who is determined to become an MD or lawyer may have to be concerned about a college's rank.
An important factor of a college education is student quality. A well-disciplined and highly driven student may be immune to the student environment and work hard regardless of what peers do. However, a less disciplined or less driven student may be influenced by peers greatly. If he is surrounded by party animals, he may waste as much college time as his peers. The advantage of highly selective colleges is that students can learn from and be motivated by peers.
A college ranks differently to different high school students and vice versa - a student is ranked differently by different colleges. The ideal college choice is one that ranks a student high due to his individual strengths and is ranked high by the student because the student believes it serves his goals well. For example, a Christian student may find Christian colleges serve his goals the best while Christian colleges value his faith. Another example: a college that ranks very high in engineering intentionally seeks minority or female students who are interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), so a minority or female student who is interested in STEM and does well in STEM classes may love this college and be ranked high by it. In other words, this college is a good fit and has a high chance to admit him or her.
Finding the best fit is challenging. There are at least two ways to do it:
- Do the homework and send out a large number of applications (e.g., dozens) to colleges deemed good fits and hope some will accept the applicant.
- Consult a very experienced adviser who specializes in a particular type of student. A good adviser may provide a short list of colleges that a student likes and has a high probability of acceptance.