Beyond the Glitz - Nancy Federspiel, Director

I remember writing an article for this paper back in 2006 that recalled the remarkable thing about all of my college visits that year - that every campus I was on had at least one (and many had multiple) large construction projects underway. The boom on college campuses has been amazing. Every campus was (or is) becoming bigger, better, shinier, fancier and more high-tech than we ever could have imagined. Now, we have incredible facilities at both public and private colleges across the country. Science labs with the latest finely-tuned calibration measurement tools. Business schools with stock market tickers and double screen Bloomberg monitors. Gyms with machines to work out every obscure muscle on the body. Cafeterias with make-to-order-while-you-wait stations offering cuisines from around the world. It seems as though there is no want unmet for today's college students.

What have we done? We have created this utopian world that can not be matched in the real world and even more sinfully have made the cost of attending college exorbitantly expensive. And, since we have set the facilities bar so high, it is hard to see the colleges for what they are intended to be: places of learning. How do I judge a school's educational fit for me beyond what hits me over the head at first glance? Is it wrong to be infatuated with college XYZ because it has an all-you-can-eat Sushi bar as a regular feature in the main dining hall?

Simply stated, yes. You have to look at the educational mission of the institution, the type of curriculum it offers, the type of programs it offers and what it will do for the student after the four years are over. In terms of educational mission; is the goal of the college to make me a well-rounded citizen of the world or is it designed to prepare me for a particular profession? Which is better for me (or my son/daughter)? Does the curriculum offer me structure and ensure that I get a well-rounded education or does it offer me freedoms to choose what I am most interested in? Again, which would be better for me? In terms of types of programs the college offers; is there a hands-on component such as internships and practicum? Can I double major or minor in my two favorite subjects? Are there opportunities for me to get involved in research? Lastly, in terms of the future; is this college a place that can get me to where I want to go next (if I know where that is). Is this a school that has a good success rate of its graduates getting into medical school? Does this college have graduates that volunteer to informational interview with seniors and recent grads interested in the same line of work?

The bottom line is that choosing the right college is a lot of work and takes thoughtful consideration. Don't take it lightly and don't be sidetracked (wowed, awed, bamboozled) by the lobster tails at lunch.