Some of the best things you’ll get out of college aren’t listed on the websites. And they’re certainly not included when determining the US News rankings.
You’ll probably make some great friends (most people do). Maybe you and those new friends will decide to try living together as roommates. Maybe that’ll work out even better than you expected and you’ll keep living together throughout college. Maybe you’ll get close enough that you stay in touch after graduation. Maybe you’ll go to each other’s weddings. And maybe more than a decade after you walked across the stage at graduation, you’ll gather for a weekend to catch up, to relive old times, and to celebrate some new milestones together. (My wife and son are second from the left; Collegewiser Katie Konrad Moore and her daughter are third from the left.)
My guess is that what they love most about where they went to college is encapsulated in that picture. And none of it was predictable when they were seniors in high school making that choice.
For seniors who are choosing your colleges this month, some of you might be disappointed about schools that didn’t say yes. Some of you might be uncertain about your current choices. But rest assured, the disappointment fades. And the uncertainty is where the best parts of college are waiting for you.