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Ten Fantastic College Values Too Many People Probably Overlook

Beginning early last summer, our family embarked upon a labor of love to help Philip find a great value to study biomedical engineering. In the process, we came across some great values worth sharing with our broader readership. While you should certainly look at your state’s university system as well as prestigious private colleges that offer generous need-based and merit scholarship, here are some hidden gems that are also worth investigating.

A Landmine in the College Application Process

During the summer, Philip and I researched schools offering Biomedical Engineering programs and Philip likewise worked on his college essay. Going into the school year we felt like Philip was ahead of the curve with a short list of schools from long-shot to safety and everything thing else in between. We were on schedule to apply “early decision” to his Ingram University, as well as “early action” at Evans Tech when we were blind-sided by an unexpected obstacle.

What We Can Read While Washing our Hands

Philip and I arrived two hours early in Oxford Hills for a Sunday evening admissions presentation by Ingram University, which was quickly becoming Philip’s first choice and long-shot school. I had brought a book; Philip had brought Ingram’s large glossy brochure as well as an SAT Preparation guide. We ate a fast food dinner and then Philip asked if there was somewhere more comfortable we could wait. I selected the Oxford Inn which was just three miles from the upcoming presentation.

Nine Ways the Best Colleges Resemble Hogwarts

Despite the very silly-sounding name, J.K. Rowling’s Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry pulls at the heart-strings of Western culture and perhaps even taps into a deep primal longing. While Hermes High School will always hold a special place in Philip’s heart, my hope is that his undergraduate experience will prove to be the best part of his late adolescence. In short, I not only want him to earn an education that will launch him into a successful adult professional life, I also want him to spend four years at a place that resembles Rowling’s Hogwarts.

Selecting and Targeting the College Long-Shot

Less than two weeks remain of Philip’s junior year at Hermes High School. We now have the scores from his first attempt at the SATs and finals will quickly establish his grades and grade point average going into any early notification college application process.

While Philip is correctly focused on the home stretch of his junior year, I have been quietly compiling data on colleges. Amelia and I are pleased to see that Philip’s SAT scores came in high enough that he can be reasonably certain about getting into Sierra State University, so long as he does not screw up and delivers a well-assembled application early in the admissions cycle.

On College and College Visit Road Trips

A year ago, during Philip’s sophomore year, I took Philip on a tour of the local state university that is less than a half hour’s drive from our home. It has a beautiful campus, and has a respected biotechnology program which is Philip’s intended field of study. But the visit had only a small impact. This month, we have taken Philip to visit two schools a more substantial drive away. Between age and distance, we observed a much greater impact.