Tulane tree laden with Mardi Gras beads
Let’s call up Tulane’s website, shall we?
I see Mardi Gras beads, references to non-profit work and research opportunities, and a video featuring Drew Brees. On Tulane’s “About” page, I look for clues, which I find in the way of references to research, the value of teaching, and the school’s integral relationship to the city of New Orleans. Look further, and there are several different mentions of Tulane’s importance to the city, and vice versa; a prominent reference to the motto: “not for one’s self, but for one’s own.” Seeing a thread about service? If you had been fortunate enough to visit, you would have heard how vital student service to NOLA actually is, and how it is actually woven into the fabric of the university curriculum.
These are the types of things you find when you really study a college’s website. And if service isn’t your thing at all—well, you certainly aren’t required to do it at Tulane; but then again, maybe it shouldn’t be on your list after all. Why would you want to attend Tulane? Think about it. Give me a good answer. How do you know if you haven’t been?
The college website is a gold mine when it comes to academics—this is where you’ll find out everything about the program you may want to study. Are they big on interdisciplinary majors? Any unusual programs? Specific research opportunities? Is there a professor that sounds like someone you’d want to do research for? Maybe you want pre-med or engineering, but still want to study abroad—can you do that here?
Undecided? No worries, most of your incoming freshmen are. So what makes this school a good fit for someone who wants to explore different areas of study? Perhaps their core curriculum gives you great exposure to areas that you wouldn’t have thought to study. Perhaps they pride themselves on their advising system. Find out.
Beyond a school’s website, what else can you look at? First and foremost, is the college coming to visit your high school? Always know this, and be sure you are there. Be sure you speak to the admissions person who has come to your school. Get their card. Send a follow-up note.
Find out if there is an alumni interview available in your area. Definitely sign up. Ask intelligent questions. Get the alum talking about why they loved the college.
Register online and make sure you are on the college’s mailing list. If they are holding any local events in your area they will be sure to let you know. And they will let you know. Then go.
Besides the website, start looking at the college’s Twitter feeds and FB page—what are you learning there? Do a general web search. What’s the school been in the news for and why?
How about kids from your high school who go to the school? Can you contact anybody for some inside information? You can always troll College Confidential and College Prowler, but take it all at a distance—these aren’t always the best sources. A first-hand account from somebody in your community is better.
Lastly, do some research on the college’s outcomes. That is to say, what are their graduates doing? Are they landing jobs? Getting into their top-choice med schools?
If this sounds like a lot of work, well, it is. While schools like Harvard and Stanford don’t give a hoot about demonstrated interest, the vast majority of schools do. So demonstrate your interest. If you can’t visit, then do the next best thing. Do your homework. Show them how much you care.