When I go to a sporting event as a fan, I like to…..
(a) know people in the crowd and on the team as I cheer them on.
(b) be part of a huge crowd in a huge stadium.
If I go to a party where I don’t know anybody, I really like it when….
(a) someone introduces themselves and goes out of their way to make me feel welcome.
(b) people leave me alone and let me observe.
When I go to college, I think I would like to…..
(a) know everything that’s going on, and be able to try many different options.
(b) stick with one or two favorite activities.
Assessment #2: My Activity and Living Priorities
My dream campus would offer….
(check all that apply)
[ ] A particular varsity sport
[ ] A particular intramural or club sport
[ ] A variety of intramural of clu sports
[ ] Cheerleading or other spor-booster activities
[ ] Political or issue-oriented organizations
[ ] Multicultural/ethnic organizations
[ ] Camping or outdoors sports
[ ] Greek-letter fraternities/sororities
[ ] ROTC or other military opportunities
[ ] A particular religious affiliation with college-sponsored spiritual life
[ ] No particular religious identity, but many spiritual/religious life groups
[ ] Women’-interest organizations
[ ] GLBT organizations
[ ] Newspaper, radio, TV, or other media activities
[ ] Film or literary clubs
[ ] Specific hobby or interest clubs (gun club, anime club. etc.)
[ ] A wide array of service-oriented groups
[ ] Theatre opportunities for non-majors, both as performers and technicians
[ ] Music opportunities for non-majors
[ ] Other performance arts, such as dance or mime
[ ] Clubs for a particular academic subject or career interest
[ ] The chance to live in a “theme” house or residence (all French-speaking, for example, or a service-themed house)
[ ] The chance to live in an apartment-style situation
[ ] The chance to live in a fraternity or sorority house
[ ] Women’s-only or men’s-only housing
[ ] Another residence preference
[ ] A wide range of weekend trips and off-campus fun for students
[ ] A wide range of touring bands and other visiting performers
Assessment #3: Campus Identities
I would be open to exploring campuses that are….
(check all that apply)
[ ] Public(state-supported)
[ ] Private
[ ] Private, where religion plays a strong role ( specify religion(s))
[ ] Single-sex (all women or all men)
[ ] Military-style
[ ] Historically Black
[ ] Primarily undergraduate
[ ] Largely graduate/professional
[ ] Engineering-focused
[ ] Art-focused
[ ] In a very large city or its suburbs
[ ] In a smaller or medium-sized city (such as St. Louis, Cincinnati or Portland) or its suburbs
[ ] In a large “college town”
[ ] In a small “college town”
[ ] In a rural or wilderness setting
Assessment Outcomes
Assessment #1: College Size
“A” answers are more typical of students at smaller schools; “B” are more typical of students at large universities. If you find you’re somewhere in between, then “medium” may be just right for you.
Assessment #2: My Activity and Living Priorities
This exercise should help you sort out what you would like in a campus. You may find it helpful to update this list as you continue your college search and get a better idea about things you’d like
Assessment #3: Campus Identities
Don’t worry if some of these things ore contradictory- the more options you have at first, the better. You can re-visit this list as you learn more about various options.
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Words to the Wise: About Getting Involved
“It was apparent to me early on that though I was new to the university, I was in a place where I could contribute to my school, and affect my community in a way I thought was reserved for older, more seasoned veterans in the college arena.”
- Byron Sanders, Alumnus, Southern Methodist University
“Some of the greatest lessons come from campus involvement. Currently I am the president of the campus chapter of a national economics honor society, chair of elections/secretary for the Student Government Association, and a representative of the Office of Admissions in the Tower Council. Through these associations, I have gotten to really know the women I work closely with day in and day out. This does not just include members of the student body, but various deans, school administrators, and professors. They teach us by listening to us-students have a say in almost all discisions made on campus.”
- Mary Frances Callis, Alumna, Agnes Scott College
“We hold our student athletes in high regard as students and as athletes. We respect their contributions on the playing field because we insist that these contributions remain part of a larger undergraduate experience where the classroom comes first and out-of-class activities second…. Athletic competition can also be extremely fulfilling at our level. When everyone plays by the same rules, not only is competition spirited and intense, but great athletic traditions can develop
- Baird Tipson, President of Washington College
Involvement and Community
College of Distinction schools offer opportunities inside as well as outside the classroom. Today campus-life is considered to be one of the most important elements in a college education. The Association of College Unions International (ACUI) states that campus life provides a “ complement (to) the academic experience through an extensive variety of cultural, educational, social, and recreational programs. These programs provide the opportunity to balance course work and frell time as cooperative factors in education.”
They also make you a stronger student. Studies have shown that students who are involved in extracurricular activities graduate at higher rates and do better academically.
In other words, a good campus life not only means doing better academically, but getting more out of your education; more exposure to activities, more chances to apply the ideas you learn in class, more