College Planning Values Assessment

College Match • A Blueprint for Choosing the Best School for You

Name:

Students have different reasons for going to college. Eleven reasons or values are found to be most important

to students as they think about college. Knowing about your values is the important ﬁrst step in identifying the

colleges where you will ﬁt in and be happy.

To complete the assessment, read through the list of 11 values —A through K. RANK each of them from #1 (the most

important to you) to #11 (the least important to you) on the basis of your answer to the following question:

What do you want college to do for you?

Each student will rank them differently; hence, there are no “right” answers. Whereas several, or even most,

of these values may be signiﬁcant for you in one way or another, the goal is to decide which three are the most

important.

When you are ﬁnished ranking them, go back and CIRCLE the THREE most important ones.

�� A. To provide me with a place to learn and study.

�� B. To provide me with opportunities to interact with teachers in and outside of the classroom.

�� C. To provide me with lots of fun experiences.

�� D. To prepare me to make a lot of money.

�� E. To provide me with recognition for accomplishments.

�� F. To get politically involved and/or to use much of my college years to help those who

are disadvantaged.

�� G. To prepare me for a career.

�� H. To enable me to be more independent.

�� I. To provide opportunities for me to grow religiously or spiritually.

�� J. To provide me with a variety of new experiences.

�� K. To let me receive a degree from a prestigious school.

What do your college planning values say about you?

If A is among the top three priorities on your list, you will want to explore the academic character of the colleges

you are considering. Although all colleges are, by deﬁnition, intellectual centers, some put more priority on

challenging students and pushing them to their limits. Reading about the academic features of the colleges you

are considering will be important. Your high ranking of this value says that you will be able to take advantage of

intellectual opportunities at college. You may want to select a college where your SAT or ACT scores are similar

to or slightly above the ranges of other admitted students—at those colleges you will be able to shine academically.

You may desire to take an active part in classroom discussions and will want a college where the student faculty

ratio is low.

College Match • A Blueprint for Choosing the Best School for You

If B is among your top three priorities, you feel challenged and stimulated by academics and classroom learning.

You will want to ﬁnd a college where your mind will be stretched. You will want to choose a college where you can

explore a range of new academic subjects. A liberal arts and sciences college may give you an enriching breadth

of academic offerings. You will want to look for a college where academic clubs are popular and where you have

a good chance of knowing professors and sharing ideas with them. Access to faculty is important to you and you

will want to look at the student faculty ratio in colleges you consider. Also note the ratio of undergraduate students

to graduate students. Primarily undergraduate institutions will be the colleges that may best be able to meet

your needs, because you will be the focus of teachers’ attention. Teachers at such colleges place their priority on

teaching and are not distracted by the needs of graduate students or by pressure to balance teaching and student

time with research and writing.

If C is circled, you derive satisfaction from social opportunities. You will want a college where the academic

demands will not diminish your ability to socialize. You likely will want a good balance between the social and

academic sides of campus life. You will want to explore the percentage of students who get involved in intramural

sports, clubs, or fraternities and sororities. Look at your college choices on the basis of school spirit and sporting

events offered. Consider popular campus events—see if they sound exciting to you. Also look at the percentage

of students who stay on campus over the weekend. You will also want a college where it is easy to make friends.

Both small and larger colleges would be appropriate for you. Although a larger college would expose you to more

students and a larger quantity of potential friends, studies show that students at smaller colleges become more

involved in activities and build deep friendships more quickly. Look for supportiveness and camaraderie in the

student body.

If D is circled, you will want to consider earning potential, advancement opportunities, and the future market for

the careers you consider. You will want to consider this value in your career planning. Remember, however, that

there is no sure road to riches! You not only must pick a career direction carefully, but must choose a college where

the potential for academic success—good grades—is high. The name of a particular college is less important than

good grades or contributions to campus life when securing a good job or being admitted to graduate school. Even if

you ﬁnd that a particular career has tremendous earning potential, those earnings may come to only those who are

most successful in the profession. Look at average salaries, but also consider your interests, values, and personality

before making your ﬁnal career choice. Be sure to take advantage of hands-on learning opportunities. Perhaps,

for example, there are internships that meet your needs. Also, ﬁnding good, career-focused summer jobs can be

helpful.

If E is high on your list, you take pleasure in being known for your success in an area of interest. For instance, you

might feel good about being recognized or known in school as a good student, a top athlete, or a leader in a club. No

doubt this type of recognition contributes to your conﬁdence. You might look for colleges where you will be able to

acquire or continue to receive this recognition. Often, recognition is easier to achieve at smaller colleges where you

would not be competing against large numbers of students hoping to achieve the same recognition. You will also

want to choose colleges where it is easy to get involved and where the activities offered are appealing to you. You

may want to consider the beneﬁts of being a “big ﬁsh in a small pond.”

If F is important, that value will no doubt guide your vocational or avocational pursuits. You may ﬁnd yourself

choosing a career in which this value can be fulﬁlled, or you may seek opportunities on a college campus where

you can be of service to others. You will want to choose a college where community service is valued. Consider

the activities available and note whether community service -related involvements are among them. Colleges vary

a great deal in terms of political awareness. At some colleges, students are attuned to national and international

College Match • A Blueprint for Choosing the Best School for You

events, often express feelings about current issues and policies, and, in general, show interest in political things.

Students at other colleges show no interest in these matters and ﬁnd other ways to interact with peers.

If G is circled, you may know what career you want to pursue or you may be concerned but uncertain about your

career decision. If you have tentatively selected a career, you will want to choose a college where you can take

courses leading to the attainment of a degree in your chosen ﬁeld. Explore whether a college you are considering

offers the course work you desire. You will want to make a note of the most popular majors and the strongest

majors as they are listed. If you don’t yet know what career would suit you, remember that, for most careers, a

broad, solid liberal arts foundation is considered good preparation. You will want to look at opportunities for

internships and take advantage of the career planning and placement ofﬁce at your chosen college. Finding a career

that will be fulﬁlling is one of the most important choices you will make in your life. Your selection of a college will

be your ﬁrst step toward achieving your career goal.

If H is circled, personal autonomy is important to you. College is, in general, a time for independence, and students

are often anxious to make their own decisions without parental involvement. If you feel you can handle lots of

independence, you will want to look for colleges where there is some freedom in choosing courses and where

students are given responsibility for their own lives. Colleges vary in terms of these factors. Note which courses

must be fulﬁlled by all students. Be certain that you will not be stiﬂed by too many rules and regulations. You may

also want to look for colleges where the personal development of students receives high priority. A priority on

independence also suggests that you will be comfortable being away from home and on your own.

If I is one of your top three choices, you will want to look ﬁrst at the religious life of each of your college options.

There are two ways to consider religious life on college campuses. First, the question of how religion affects

the day-to-day life of the college. For example, are biblical references made in class? Are religious convocations

mandatory? Second, the question of whether there is a religious heritage at the college. Many hundreds of colleges

have historical relationships with a religious denomination, but this tie does not effect the rules or the general life

of the students. (For example, the college may have a certain number of religion classes required to graduate, but

these classes are typically broad-based and not doctrinal.) You may want a college that has a relationship with your

particular religious group. Or you may desire a large number of students who belong to the same denomination as

you do. As you explore colleges, you will also want to see if the college has a commitment to the values and ideals

held by you or your family.

If J is appealing, you like newness and will likely be stimulated by new experiences and new activities. You are in

for a treat at most colleges. New experiences are the “stuff” of which college is made. You may see college -going as

an adventure and will want to pick colleges where you can meet your need for stimulation and excitement. Because

you value newness, you should not hesitate to attend college in a different part of the country, or to experience an

environment or a climate that is quite different from your high school. You will also want to look for evidence of

diversity in the student body.

If K is appealing, be cautious. Students who are overly concerned about this value might ﬁnd college planning

traumatic and even painful, because of the admission selectivity of “name brand” colleges. Even though it is

perfectly acceptable for students to be attuned to the overall excellence of a college, academic quality and prestige

are not the same thing. Some colleges are well-known because of, say, a ﬁne football team or because of academic

excellence in a subject like psychology or physics. Although it is appropriate to look for a strong faculty and a

highly regarded college, you want a college that will give you the greatest chance of academic success. It is success

in college, not just academic reputation or prestige, that will lead to admission into graduate school or a broad

selection of jobs.

College Match • A Blueprint for Choosing the Best School for You

Now that you’ve read about your top three values, answer the following question:

In your own words, what do

your top three values say about what you are looking for in a college?

You should write down your response to this

question and share it (along with the names of your three highest values) with your counselor, consultant, parent,

or others that are helping you ﬁnd a college that’s good for you.