Why I picked Amherst College (Amherst, Massachusetts)
Emmanuel Osunlana, ’18
During my first visit to Amherst College, I marveled at both the intellectual curiosity of the students and the passionate dedication of the professors. My campus conversations ranged from deconstructing Kanye West’s album “Yeezus” to investigating the effects of data structures on code runtimes.
The open curriculum, which provides true academic freedom, assists students in concurrently pursuing their varied academic interests. Though I study philosophy, I’ve taken classes in mathematics, environmental studies, religion, chemistry and computer science.
The alumni network is another tremendous asset. In my case, it helped me secure a summer internship at Google. Amherst has expanded my horizons in so many ways — I even studied Buddhism with Tibetan monks in India! My time here has taught me how to innovate, lead and constantly grow, making me confident I can succeed on whatever path I take after graduation.
[Discover how to contact alumni to deepen your college research.]
Why I picked Lehigh University (Bethlehem, Pennsylvania)
Corina Fitzgerald, ’17
I was really impressed when I first visited Lehigh University. It’s a midsized private university with the huge range of programs that you tend to see only at big state schools. The extensive study abroad program and availability of fully funded internships is a particular strength.
Last year the Iacocca International Internship Program, for example, set up 100 students in internships in 29 different countries. I was an Asian studies and Chinese double major, so the Iacocca program sent me to work for a nongovernmental organization in Cambodia, developing a third-grade English curriculum for local students. The entire experience was completely funded, including airfare, housing and a living stipend.
Alumni stay very engaged and are always looking to give back, like through Lehigh’s online career network, where they help students looking for internship and job opportunities. Throughout my four years, I have found that the richness of Lehigh’s academic experience extends campuswide, reaching all academic colleges.
Why I Picked Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, California)
Nathan Metzger, ’17
I saw Santa Clara University as a school that would allow me to get hands-on experience in engineering — my major — while also letting me develop other interests. The engineering program is strong.
You learn concepts in the classroom and then can apply them, working on things like SCU’s Tiny House Project — a compact solar-powered home built by a student team — and in the Robotics Systems Laboratory, where students can collaborate on underwater robots, say, or prototypes for CubeSats, miniaturized satellites that can scan disaster sites and send back images to help target relief efforts.
SCU as a whole follows the Jesuit traditions of advancing social justice and educating the whole person. For me, the latter meant picking up a music minor and joining the Chamber Singers, a campus choir. I also spent a summer in Nicaragua working with a nonprofit on community development projects such as water systems, just another of SCU’s many enriching experiences.
Why I Picked Furman University (Greenville, South Carolina)
Nathan Mathai, ’17
When I first saw Furman University, I was intrigued by its stunning campus tucked away at the base of the Blue Ridge Mountains and its commitment to engaged learning. As a first-generation college student, I had to pay for my education. So I looked for schools that would offer me grants and the chance to explore my many interests, including politics, history, numbers and theater. Furman, I found, could give me all of this.
For example, through the school’s Riley Institute, which is committed to finding bipartisan solutions to the education gap and diversity in South Carolina, I could help organize events with political leaders. I also joined Furman’s Heller Service Corps, which each year sends over 1,800 students into Greenville County to work on community projects.
I got to originate a role in “Pomp & Circumstance,” a play written by a Furman alum. I spent a semester abroad in Brussels, where I combined my passion for politics and numbers by interning for the chair of the budgetary control committee in the European Parliament. Going to Furman was absolutely the right decision for me.
[Find out how to be successful as a first-generation college student.]
Why I Picked the University of Minnesota–Twin Cities (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
Raven Ziegler, ’17
The University of Minnesota–Twin Cities, a public research university with award-winning professors, attracted me because it offers students outstanding opportunities to pursue their passions by volunteering, studying abroad, interning and conducting research.
As someone interested in international law and helping oppressed groups, I was eager to capitalize on the practical experiences UMN offers. For example, I interned at Minnesota’s largest county attorney’s office and, drawing on my Lakota Sioux heritage, I volunteered locally to teach the Dakota language to Native American youth.
UMN also enabled me to spend six months at the University of Cape Town in South Africa studying international relations and foreign policy. UMN helped me better understand global crises, build networks and understand how to use these networks to find solutions.
Why I Picked Trinity University (San Antonio)
Maria Jaramillo, ’17
Visiting Trinity University, I toured the Center for the Sciences and Innovation, the school’s state-of-the-art research and teaching facilities for engineering and science. It was impressive, but so was our guide, the head of the neuroscience department, who struck me with his commitment to his students’ success.
Faculty-student engagement is a real strength at Trinity. Many courses are discussion-based, even in the sciences, where students can explore how research was handled, a real plus for me as a future physician. Undergraduate research is encouraged. My faculty mentor helped me design my own project on visual processing in the lizard brain that I got funded through a Trinity fellowship and a grant.
Groups regularly put on cultural events like the Indian Student Association’s Diwali (the festival of lights) celebration, which enriched the diversity of my college experience. While the care of my professors and mentors kept me on track for medical school, my fellow students helped me grow.
Why I Picked Drake University (Des Moines, Iowa)
Haley Barbour, ’17
I chose Drake University because of the flexibility it offers students to shape their academic programs to fit their goals and to take advantage of valuable experiences outside of class. Knowing that I wanted to study political science/international relations, I felt from my research that Drake was the best place for me.
The school has front-row seats for the “first-in-the-nation” Iowa presidential caucuses. Drake helped me get short internships with Yahoo, CNN and Fusion to see how they covered the caucuses. I also helped organize conferences, town halls and a presidential debate. Drake even let me take a semester off to work full time for Hillary Clinton in 2016.
The school’s study abroad program covers some 70 countries, and I was able to spend a semester in Amman, Jordan, studying Arabic and Middle Eastern politics. Every step of the way I found that my faculty adviser and the administration were eager to help me find ways to get experiences that overlapped with my coursework, which has opened so many doors for me.
[Find the best college for your major.]
Why I Picked Hamilton College (Clinton, New York)
Kureem Nugent, ’18
I was the first in my family to attend college and had no idea what I wanted to major in. Hamilton College, a small, 205-year-old liberal arts school, appealed to me as it really pushes students to broaden themselves.
It starts with the school’s open curriculum, which doesn’t require students to meet course requirements until they declare a major. I tested my interests in classes like biology, government and philosophy until settling on sociology with minors in economics and Spanish.
Hamilton emphasizes a “Know Thyself” philosophy that encourages students to further explore their interests and talents through extracurricular opportunities. This past summer, for example, I led a six-day wilderness adventure trip in the Adirondack Mountains for 10 freshmen as part of their orientation. Seeing the value of Hamilton’s approach to learning has led me to want to pursue my own career in higher education.
Why I Picked Valparaiso University (Valparaiso, Indiana)
Elyse Smith, ’17
When searching for a school with an undergraduate meteorology program, I was drawn to Valparaiso University‘s emphasis on experiential learning. I joined a school-sponsored storm-chasing team and one summer got within two miles of a tornado in Lamar, Colorado. Senior year, I was able to conduct undergraduate research based on historic storms of the Great Lakes region and to present my findings at a student forum.
Valpo excels at offering professional development opportunities. For example, I was able to intern with respected television meteorologists in Birmingham and Chicago. Students can also find many ways to serve and build leadership skills through Valpo’s 250 clubs. I’ve done choreography for a dance showcase, acted in an improv troupe, and served as president of a meteorology club.
Best of all, students here help each other. We have a great peer tutoring program, and it helped me get through the heavy math and physics for my major, keeping me on my path to become a meteorologist.
This story is excerpted from the U.S. News “Best Colleges 2018” guidebook, which features in-depth articles, rankings and data.
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