My son went to Washington, D.C. for a college overnight visit with two of his high school friends this week. On the bus on their way back home, he had a lot of time to weigh his two main options, the last two schools left standing. By the time he walked in the front door at 9 p.m. last night, he had decided. He sat down with us in the living room and ticked off his reasons for choosing A, the smaller school upstate that selected him for its scholar program.
"I just think there's more for me there," he said. "Yes, B is my perfect campus and it's in a city I love, but I feel more relaxed at A. I like that the kids keep their doors open and hang out in each others rooms. It just had a great vibe. I've met all these kids I like there, my cousin is there, and I'd be able to travel and do global projects there. I have the rest of my life to live in a city. I don't mind a small town for college."
He added: "I thought I wanted a big university, but actually, it felt overwhelming. In the dorm, kids keep their doors closed and you can live next door to someone who you don't know and don't even say hello to. Don't get me wrong, B is a good school and I probably would be fine there, but I already know so much more about A, and what I know, I like."
He also said: "I get the sense that the college experience everywhere gets played out after a couple of years, and after that, what you have is your program and your friends."
And: "I think I'll be able to manage money better at A. In the city, I'd be tempted to spend all the time."
I saw he had thought a lot about this and was at peace with his decision, and so now I am at peace with it, too.
"I just think there's more for me there," he said. "Yes, B is my perfect campus and it's in a city I love, but I feel more relaxed at A. I like that the kids keep their doors open and hang out in each others rooms. It just had a great vibe. I've met all these kids I like there, my cousin is there, and I'd be able to travel and do global projects there. I have the rest of my life to live in a city. I don't mind a small town for college."
He added: "I thought I wanted a big university, but actually, it felt overwhelming. In the dorm, kids keep their doors closed and you can live next door to someone who you don't know and don't even say hello to. Don't get me wrong, B is a good school and I probably would be fine there, but I already know so much more about A, and what I know, I like."
He also said: "I get the sense that the college experience everywhere gets played out after a couple of years, and after that, what you have is your program and your friends."
And: "I think I'll be able to manage money better at A. In the city, I'd be tempted to spend all the time."
I saw he had thought a lot about this and was at peace with his decision, and so now I am at peace with it, too.
Wow, your son sounds remarkably mature and level-headed in his decision making process. And a teenager even thinking about saving vs spending money? Thank the stars girl! I have the feeling that this is a guy who will be able to focus and do well at whatever he chooses to do.
ReplyDeleteHe's definitely a good kid, and pretty responsible for his age. Which doesn't mean he doesn't have his, ahhhh, moments. But I guess we should be grateful for those, because they mean he's normal, right?
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