Wordle your way to college.
Wordle. Even if you’re not playing it, you’ve probably heard of it. Some people like their first guess to have none of the letters in the final word. Others prefer that the first word they play has at least a few of the letters in the final word. Either method is valid and could lead to the right answer.
The same is true for developing a college list. Some students want to figure out what they don’t want to have on their future campus. Others identify something they love and then look for schools that share that attribute. Either approach could lead to the right fit.
Students who keep an open mind about their college expectations increase their options, but identifying what you do and don’t want in your college experience is an important part of finding the right fit.
Wondering where to start?
Check with your high school college and career center. Find out about local college fairs or college reps visiting your school. Visit the websites of colleges of all different sized and locations. Take advantage of robust online virtual tours to learn about colleges you know as well as those that are unfamiliar to you. Considering the unexpected may lead to unimagined possibilities.
Doing in-person and/or online research is an opportunity to form impressions of what matters to you. If you are able to attend an in-person or virtual live meeting with a representative from a college, jot down some questions that can’t be answered by searching the college’s website. Here are a few suggestions:
If the college representative is an alum, ask about their favorite experience.
Ask what the students on campus care about or are interested in.
Ask about the size of introductory classes (and who teaches them).
Ask about popular clubs and activities on campus.
Always remember to thank the representatives for their time and then quickly write some notes capturing what you liked (and disliked) about what you learned.
Treat your research as part of the big Wordle puzzle you are trying to solve. What you discover can be the first guess in your quest to determine your “perfect fit.” If you would like to learn more about maximizing your research through college visits, send us a message through our Contact Us page.
