BY KENZIE CHESROWN (‘18)

People often daydream about their future. It is common for students to imagine their college life from an early age. This leads to a specific image of what they want out of college. Often it is hard to meet these standards.

Some may think they have it all planned out; deciding they would love a big, out of state college. In reality, these ideals can blind them to a college that could be an even better fit.

Everyone should make the effort to look at a wide range of schools; not just private or public, or big or small.

Students often want to transition from the small town of Granville to what they imagine as bigger and better. However, one should not rule out a small school without at least visiting.

The same can be said for big schools. A student might want to stay in their comfort zone and not stray from habit.

Transitioning from the usual class of 200 to one in the thousands is a drastic change, but it is a change that could give one opportunities unavailable on a small campus.

There are many books on potential colleges that could be a perfect fit. It gives statistics on all aspects of each specific college.

This is a great resource for finding what colleges interest you most. It is very important to keep an open mind and visit one type of each college. School counselors can also be a great resource when it comes to figuring out college.  

“As for Granville grads from 2017, we found that more students decided to stay in-state this past year as compared to previous years,” school counselor Brandi Cooper said, “We believe those decisions were based primarily on financial reasons and/or proximity to home.” 

Private institutions commonly give out more scholarships than public. However, this does not always mean they are the better deal. Some private colleges are originally at a higher price and therefore the scholarships could potentially not help in the greater scheme of things. Public colleges can end up being a better deal, but each situation is different depending on the student.  

Students often have the impulse to go far, far away. Out of state is a dream of many, but is often unattainable. Out of state tuition is a large barrier, but with enough scholarships this can be conquered. However, in-state colleges are often the more realistic option. It is commonly said that a college feels as far away as you make it. This goes both ways, so a quick trip home could allow for some clean laundry and a hot meal.

No matter where you end up, Granville will have prepared you. Big campus or small campus, private or public, you always are an ace.

“It is exciting to see where the Class of 2018 will end up matriculating to as they begin the application process,” Cooper said. “There are so many students that I have already spoken to this year that are looking at out of state schools and seem to be conducting a great deal of research on all of their options.”