By Kunal Mehra
As the acceptance rates at Ivy Leagues and other top US universities are decreasing each year, becoming as low as 3% at some of these schools, things are more competitive than ever. While students focus on building a unique and impressive set of activities, an equally important aspect to consider is choosing the right set of schools to apply to.
Choosing the ‘best-fit’ school requires a careful evaluation of both the colleges and yourself. Since you are going to be spending four years of your life at the university, it is critical you pick the university that matches your academic ambitions and personality type to ensure future success.
Today I want to highlight my 3-step guide for putting together your school list and finding the university that ticks all of your boxes.
Consider universities based on subject rankings
Start with researching top universities for your intended area of study, not just the overall university ranking.
In my many years of admissions consulting, I have observed that students often get hung up exclusively on the prestige of a university. While the glamour of well-known universities is unavoidable, it is important to dive deeper and research the universities that offer the best courses for your intended area of study. During your research, you might be surprised to find a university you have never heard of, ranked higher than a big brand-name university in the course you are interested in studying.
Fun fact! While Harvard and Stanford are renowned for producing top business students, Wharton – a top-ranked business school globally is a great choice too, boasting of famous alumni, including Elon Musk and Ruth Porat.
Map your interests and goals
Universities in the US make the most of their locations and offer immersive experiences for their students. Whether you want to live by the beach in California or the snow-capped mountains of the Arizona desert or the bustling metropolis of New York City — the options are endless!
It is important to ask yourself questions such as what activities you enjoy and research the best locations in the world for those activities. Choose a location specializing in your area of interest, and ensure that your investment pays dividends beyond educational prestige. You’ll be immersing yourself in learning, career networking, and internship opportunities, while also connecting with talented, like-minded students from far and wide.
For instance, do you like hiking in Colorado or shopping in New York? Are you aiming to build a career in tech? Your answers to these questions might surprise you and take you on a path of self-discovery. Silicon Valley is the birthplace of tech giants Apple, Facebook, Google, and Snapchat and is great for someone aiming to be a techpreneur.
Consider each university’s social life & personality
Your non-academic experiences are just as important as your academic experiences. Assess the social life and “personality” of any given university, on multiple fronts. Is the campus environmentally conscious or politically engaged? Does it have community service and volunteering opportunities? Does the student body have a strong sense of community and school spirit?
Answers to these questions will help you clearly define your unique set of priorities. Universities often develop a personality based on a core category, for example, sports, technology, performing arts, or community service.
By matching your personality and character to universities, you can design your ultimate university experience! Another key advantage of finding a university that matches your interests is a great way to meet like-minded people.
With the wide array of options to choose from, picking one university isn’t easy! It may seem overwhelming at first, but using this guide above, asking the right questions, and conducting comprehensive research, you’ll have your options narrowed down in no time!
(Author is Country Head, Crimson Education)
