23
Nov
How to Choose the Right University
- noviembre 23, 2017
- Blog
- 0 Comments
One of the most crucial pieces of advice I always share with my clients is:
Think carefully about what you want your overall university experience to be, before you choose which colleges to apply for.
Many of the students I work with have their heart set on a particular US college – maybe because of the location, or because it’s a well-known university here in Spain. But it’s much more important to think about what kind of person you are, and what your goals are for your time at university, before you make your application shortlist.
For instance, I recently worked with a young woman whose dream is to become a fashion stylist. Working together, we realized that her ideal college would provide business skills training, alongside a strong fashion program, with a location in one of the US’s top fashion hubs. Fortunately, we found the perfect school for her – Marist College. It ticked all the boxes – it has an excellent undergraduate program in Fashion Merchandising, it is located on a campus just outside New York, and it has a strong focus on professional skills training. By closely analyzing her goals and personality, we were able to find the perfect fit for her.In fact, if you’re thinking about studying in the US, and your priority at college is to build practical skills to get ahead in the job market, Marist College might be a great choice for you too. They offer a wide range of highly specialized professional degrees, in subjects like IT (they work closely with neighboring IBM), Gaming, Emerging Technologies, and Sports Communication. Again, thinking carefully about your own unique goals will help you figure out if a university like Marist College might be right for you.
It is also critical to make sure you’re taking full advantage of your four years of undergraduate study. For instance, when you’re choosing to study in the US, you might not always consider a semester or a year in another overseas location, but Study Abroad programs are definitely be a great way to get a broader international experience and maximize your time at college.
For example, Marist has an amazing campus in Florence, Italy, in partnership with the Lorenzo de Medici Institute. For students passionate about art or history, this would be a wonderful opportunity to combine your academic studies with an extraordinary cultural experience. Imagine spending a semester in Florence helping to restore 17th century paintings, or travelling to the Easter Islands to work with the islanders to preserve the world-famous statues…Overall, the key when making your shortlist of US universities is to have a clear idea of your goals and priorities – and, just as importantly, your passions and dreams.
Spend time asking yourself key questions about what you are looking for. For instance:
● Is it more important to you to study with world-class professors, or in a world-famous location?
● Do you value a rigorous academic environment or practical professional skills training?
● Would you like to spend time in multiple locations, or only in the US?
After all, the next four years may well be one of the most important, formative and memorable times of your life – so it’s worth spending some time to make the right choices.
If you would like some advice about choosing the right university, understanding how to apply or how to find funding, I’d love to hear from you.
