WOODBURY — For Nonnewaug High School students, deciding where they are going to college is a significant decision, as seniors are beginning to lay the foundation of their futures.
Since the May 1 decision deadline, seniors have solidified their decisions, and are committed to a college.
Nonnewaug College and Career Resource Center counselor Kathy Green provides insight to the factors that go into last minute decisions for seniors.
“At this stage, oftentimes money comes into play this time of year, and seeing if maybe there is any sort of appeal there that can be made to make one school, maybe the most desirable school, at a better price point,” said Green. “Some students are examining the programs, and which one will suit their needs or interests best; some students are also looking at location, and are also considering, basically at this stage it comes down to programs, the major, or the classes within the majors, and the finances.”
Grace Walkup, who will be attending Northeastern University, notes some components that went into her decision.
“A big thing for me was the programs that they offer and the specific major that they had,” said Walkup. “They accepted me into their honors program, which gives me a lot of funding to study abroad, do my own research, and they offered me a major that I really like.”
Gavin Sandor, who is committed to Yale University, adds other factors seniors acknowledged: “Definitely academic rigor, location, as I want to be close to home, size, as I didn’t want a small school, and name, too, because I want a good job. I feel that it would be important to have a good name on a job application.”
For seniors like Grace Schmidheini, who is committed to University of Valley Forge, they looked into schools that align with their morals, values, and the things that are important to them.
“Religion and Christianity are super important to me,” said Schmidheini, “and so being able to go to a school that has my major of youth ministry was super important and they align with my beliefs in that way.”
Green reminds seniors that while this decision is important, it doesn’t have the final say on where one’s future will take them.
“I think they feel like the weight of the world is on them honestly, having to make the decision, we try to gently remind them that people make decisions and then redirect all the time, they land in a place that maybe isn’t the best fit, you can redirect,” said Green. “So it doesn’t have to be the end all, be all. But it feels like it’s a momentous decision because this is really the first opportunity they are taking charge of making the decision.”
