Top 10 College Choices for NJ Charter HS School Student

Current high school charter student in New Jersey came up with his top 10 college list. I suggested he come up with two schools in the West and two in the east and to carefully review alumni any other employment data. He seems focused on colleges and universities that have a social atmosphere and I told him to look at other factors because he’ll be investing say four to five years of his life in college or university.  Like other high school age students the college experience is more about social networking than it is about the learning that will take place and about the social environment. The college has to be conducive more for that type of in-person socializing and the learning seems to be like secondary to the social gathering experience. At least he’s majoring in a business degree so he will gain skills hopefully internships that will lead to high return on investment and positive impact in the world of business.

1. Oberlin College (Oberlin, Ohio)
   1. Oberlin is personally my top choice because not only is it a top-ranking liberal arts college, it is a place of intense energy and creativity, built on a foundation of academic, artistic, and musical excellence. Financial Aid: It meets 100% of financial need and offers a no-loan financial aid package, meaning that I wouldn’t have to worry about being in debt once I graduate from college
   2. Study Abroad: Oberlin offers study-abroad programs for my major in China, Italy, and France (all three are countries I’ve always wanted to culturally immerse myself in plus while simultaneously working towards my degree)
   3. Rating: 12/10
   4. Link: https://www.oberlin.edu/

2. Boston University (Boston, Massachusetts)
   1. Boston is my second choice because of the location: I have always wanted to live in Massachusetts (especially Boston) because of the city’s vibrant culture, as well as experience some of the BU traditions such as Lobster Night
   2. Alumni: BU alumni are living in over 180 of the world’s countries. This appealed to me primarily because once I graduate from college, I plan on moving to another country (like England or Morocco) and just being able to experience life there for a while. Knowing that no matter what country I go to, I’d be sure to not only form new connections, but it would also allow me to quickly secure a job in my chosen field of Business Management
   3. Rating: 12/10
   4. Link: https://www.bu.edu/

3. New York University (New York, New York)
   1. Location: Similarly to Boston, I want to NYU due to its location: I would be fully integrated into the city, being able to commute to school and/or work with other New Yorkers and just getting the New York type of life
   2. Major: While I would major in Business and Political Economy, NYU also has the flexibility to add a second major and/or tailor the academic trajectory that I am looking for
   3. Rating: 9/10
   4. Link: https://www.nyu.edu/

4. University of Michigan-Ann Arbor (Ann Arbor, Michigan)
   1. Not only is University of Michigan ranked in the top 30 universities in the nation, but their athletic programs are one of the best in the country (which appeals to me because I play tennis and volleyball)
   2. Diversity: The wide variety of students that attend UMich makes it very special to me as I previously spoke on wanting to immerse myself in other cultures. I would get to experience and learn not only in the classrooms, but outside the classrooms as well. I would get to experience different cultures and ethnicities everyday by simply talking to my classmates and observing others that pass by me.
   3. Rating: 10/10
   4. Link: https://umich.edu/

5. Georgetown University (Washington D.C)
   1. I personally visited Georgetown University and I can say that the sense of unity and the faculty are the two best features I’ve noticed. It’s a tight-knit community and everyone is ostensibly close with one another. Moreover, it is truly a great learning institution with an emphasis on Catholic values and teachings.
   2. Career: Being that one of my career goals is to be a Diplomat, Georgetown (based on my research) has great connections with important places like the US Capitol and is one of the feeder schools for the US Foreign Service.
   3. Rating: 11/10
   4. Link: https://www.georgetown.edu/

6. University of Southern California (Los Angeles, California)
   1. I love how USC is a private school with a public school approach. Even though the classes can seem big, the classes are small-moderate in size (9:1 Student to teacher ratio) which appeal to me because it would allow me to get to know my peers and my professors on a more personal and connected level.
   2. Rating: 8/10
   3. Link: https://www.usc.edu/

7. Rutgers University-New Brunswick (New Brunswick, New Jersey)
   1. Besides being close to my home in Newark, I love Rutgers due to its reputation as one of the nation’s top public universities, and it’s a local melting pot (it’s ranked one of the most diverse colleges in New Jersey).
      1. During my visit, I interacted with people from Malaysia, the Philippines, and even Taiwan! I got to learn so much about the different cultures and even practiced a bit of tagalog.
   2. Rating: 10/10
   3. Link: https://www.rutgers.edu/

8. Villanova University (Villanova University)
   1. The school has a very welcoming atmosphere.
      1. There is a strong sense of school spirit, which makes attending school sporting events extremely fun (I saw this firsthand when I attended one of their football games) and makes it easy to make friends
   2. Rating: 8/10
   3. Link: https://www1.villanova.edu/university.html

9. Colorado College (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
   1. The campus practically hums and vibrates with this meticulous academic fervor. I had the privilege of sitting in on a class where they debated about free will vs. determinism and the insatiable thirst for knowledge, expression, and conversation that the students had on both sides of the debate made me interested in possibly attending. 
   2. Class: The college runs on a block schedule meaning they learn with one class at a time. That appealed to me because it really showed me how the college places the students and their mental health at the forefront.
   3. Rating: 11/10
   4. Link: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/

10. University of Connecticut (Mansfield, Connecticut)
    1. Student Government: Student Union Board of Governors (or SUBOG as they’re more known as) SUBOG is the student government on campus and they are awesome. SUBOG always makes sure there’s something to do on campus. Every weekend they have Late Night at the Student Union where there are wings, mozzarella sticks, and fantastic mac and cheese. There’s also karaoke, free giveaways, and fun games!
       1. The fact that it’s entirely student-run piques my interest because I know that just the fact that UConn has a student-led initiative means that they promote and ensure that students have an equitable voice on their campus (which I’m all for student leadership!)
    2. Rating: 8/10
    3. Link: https://uconn.edu/