By Key Club International Trustee River Pease
For the last four years, you’ve been thriving in high school. From getting good grades to participating in extracurricular activities (like Key Club!), you’ve been striving to get into the school of your dreams. Now some seniors face a decision about which university to attend.
There are factors beyond whether a particular university is a good school. At the end of the day, future employers will worry more about your identity as a person and your competency than the university that you attended.
Andrew West, a Key Club International Trustee from the Southwest District, recently committed to Yale University. His advice to seniors: “Do a lot of research about all the schools you‘re considering, talk to current students, go to admitted student events, etc. Make sure the place you choose is a good combination of personal, academic and financial fit.”
Andrew says that Yale was his pick because “I liked the location, in addition to the specific programs that I wanted and the overall resources the university offers.”
For Eddie Wei, an International Trustee from the Nebraska–Iowa District, the biggest factor in choosing Claremont McKenna College was the social life.
“I know it sounds naive to consider that aspect of college so heavily,” he says, “but since my choices were all great academically, the social experience was the next most important thing. I wanted a place that had a collaborative and close-knit community. I wanted to be somewhere that had lots to do on and off campus. Ultimately, I wanted a place that provided both a stellar education and an unforgettable experience.”
Emma Brainard, an International Trustee from the Indiana District who committed to Notre Dame, says to choose the place where you feel most at home.
“Yes, there are financial aspects, and getting into the school, and all sorts of other factors you should consider,.” she says. “But ultimately, make your decision based on how you feel when you step foot on that campus. You’ll know where you belong.”
For Emma, a few related factors influenced her decision: campus, distance from home, and education, to name a few.
“But the thing I love most about my school is the atmosphere,” she says. “You get a sense that the school is one big community that shares all these traditions and similarities, and I really wanted to be a part of that.”
Choosing your university is one of the most important decisions you’ve had to make. After all, it’s where you’ll begin the next phase of your life. And remember: It’s your life.
“Make sure the school you go to is the right school for you and not what’s best for someone else,” Eddie Wei says. “This decision will be yours and yours alone. No matter where you end up, we know you’ll continue to change the world for the better.”