Congratulations! You've made significant progress on your journey toward finding the educational path for yourself or your student. You've explored values and interests, assessed strengths and support needed, and researched various options. Now, it's time to take the next step: narrowing your choices to a manageable list of 4-6 schools or paths.
In this blog post, we'll combine all your previous steps and provide you with a practical tool to effectively compare schools or paths.
Recap of Previous Steps
Self-Exploration: You've delved into their interests, passions, values, and goals. Starting with a clear understanding of your child is crucial in choosing a path that aligns with who they are.
Assessment of Strengths and Supports Needed: By assessing their strengths and areas where support is needed, you have gained insight into areas where your child excels and areas where they may need extra support. This process ensures you are helping them choose a path that will maximize their potential.
Research: You've thoroughly researched various schools or paths that match their interests and goals. You have gathered information on academic programs, faculty, campus culture, location, and growth opportunities. (See the previous three blog posts if you have not completed this step yet).
Comparing College/Path Choices
Now that you have a wealth of information, it's time to narrow your options by comparing your college or path choices.
Here's a step-by-step guide:
Review Your Criteria: Refer to the criteria you established during your research. What factors are most important to your teen? Consider all aspects, including academic reputation, mental health support, program offerings, location, campus culture, extracurricular activities, and financial considerations.
Rank Their Priorities: Rank the criteria in order of importance to them. This exercise will help them prioritize their preferences when comparing schools or paths.
Create a Spreadsheet: To streamline the comparison process, create a spreadsheet with columns for each criterion and rows for each school or path they're considering. We've provided an example spreadsheet below:
Criteria | School A | School B | School C | School D | School E |
Academic Program | Excellent | Good | Fair | Excellent | Very Good |
Location | Urban | Suburban | Rural | Urban | Urban |
Campus Culture | Diverse | Close-knit | Competitive | Collaborative | Supportive |
Extracurriculars | Robust | Limited | Varied | Varied | Limited |
Financial Aid | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Total Cost | $25,000 | $30,000 | $20,000 | $28,000 | $32,000 |
Compare and Evaluate: Fill in the spreadsheet with the information gathered during your research. Evaluate each school or path based on their criteria and assign scores or ratings accordingly.
Analyze Your Findings: Review the completed spreadsheet to identify each option's patterns, strengths, and weaknesses. Consider how well each choice aligns with their interests, goals, and priorities.
Narrow Your List: Based on your analysis, narrow your choices to a final list of 4-6 schools or paths that best meet their needs and preferences.
Conclusion
By following these steps and using the provided spreadsheet, you can effectively compare schools or paths and make an informed decision that sets your teen on the right path toward a joyful and transformative educational journey.
Remember, finding their path is a personal journey, and it's okay for them to take their time and explore different options before making a decision. Trust yourself and them, trust the process, and embrace the adventure ahead! I look forward to your conversations with your students, teens, and young adults. Let's make this journey joyful and transformative for them!
Download the Example spreadsheet here - Feel free to customize it according to your specific criteria and preferences.
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Photo by George Bakos on Unsplash
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