We spend a lot of time thinking about where to go to college – and we should given how much is at stake. But how you go to college matters just as much. Decisions students make about where to live, which classes to take, what projects to work on, and how to get involved all have proven impact on what they get out of college.
It turns out that thinking about how you’ll go to college can help you figure out where to go to college – starting with where to apply.
As you research colleges, tour campuses, attend info sessions, talk to friends and family, and get advice from counselors and coaches, look into whether a college or university provides the opportunities that help you get the most out of college and get the greatest return on your investment. Talk to students there to see if they are taking advantage of them.
Elliot Felix's book How to Get the Most Out of College compiles what he's learned working with more than a hundred colleges and many more research studies to provide proven, practical tips on how to succeed. You can use these tips to guide your college search. Let’s go through a few of the best opportunities to look for to find a college or university that offers you the greatest return on your investment.
Where to live
How dorm rooms are organized in a residence hall has a surprising impact. Dorms with rooms along a hallway rather than arranged in a suite or apartment promote 22% more interaction between students, increase their sense of community, and increase students’ GPAs by up to a half a letter grade. Students who live in dorms organized around an idea or identity – often called “Living Learning Communities” – are more likely to meet with their professors, spend time with people different from them, and learn in groups.
What classes to take
A lot goes into exploring and deciding your classes and your major – interests, strengths, career aspirations, and more. From a financial perspective, several recent studies using College Scorecard data have shown that what students study may be more important than where they study it. For example, the median salary for a computer science grad at Indiana State is $51,642 (at an average annual cost $13,896). Compare this to the median salary of $37,176 for an anthropology grad at Notre Dame (at average annual cost $33,025).
What projects to work on
Class projects can be made up; for example, doing a marketing plan for a fictitious company. Or they can be applied to the real-world, like doing a marketing plan or social media campaign for a local non-profit. In a recent study, 81% of students felt these project opportunities were important but only 30% of their professors said they offered them. Students who participate in service learning projects like these that solve a problem in their community not only get chances to make an impact but get hired faster and have starting salaries $6,500 higher.
Why do an internship or a Co-op
Internships are another way to apply lessons from the classroom to the real-world. Students who had internships are 1.5 times more likely to think their education was worth the cost and are 1.8 times more likely to be engaged at work after graduation, finding their job meaningful and rewarding enough to be involved in and enthusiastic about their work. Co-ops where students work for periods between school increase average starting salaries by $6,300.
How to get involved and belong
Nationally, about 20% of students leave after their first year of college, but students who feel a sense of belonging are 41% more likely to continue onto their second year. But in a recent national survey, only 65% of students feel like they belong. There are lots of ways to get involved: a campus job, going to events, using services like tutoring, or student groups. College transition expert Andrea Malkin Brenner recommends students pick three groups or areas of involvement: one tied to an academic interest, a second based on a potential career interest, and a third with an opportunity to give back to a community.
Where to find mentors and get advice
It’s normal for students to not feel like they belong, to question their major, to doubt their abilities, and to be confused as they make their way through the complexities of college. This is why advisors are so critical to guiding and encouraging students. They also have a proven impact on students’ likelihood to stay in school: for every 1% more satisfied students are with an advisor, they are 1.5% more likely to stay in school. Mentors are critical too. Students who had an encouraging mentor are 2.2 times more likely to be engaged at work and 1.9 times more likely to think their education was worth the cost.
The Bottom Line
Where to live, which classes to take, what projects to work on, where to do an internship, and how to get advice are just a few of the 127 proven, practical tips in my book How to Get the Most Out of College. You can use these tips to guide your search and position yourself for success.
Whether or not students get the most out of college depends not only on where they go but how they go. As you research, tour, and think about colleges, look for whether they offer these opportunities – and how easy or hard they are to take advantage of.
We know that on average, a college education is a great investment: Compared to high school alone, the average college grad makes an additional million dollars over a lifetime. Nearly 80% of college grads increase their salaries enough by going to college to offset its cost in 10 years or less. The everyday decisions students make can be the difference. These are the building blocks to a great college experience where students can find their people, their purpose, and their career path.