How Personality Types Impact College Choice he National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) found that as many as one third of all freshmen entering college will eventually transfer or worse, drop out of college. A common reason students give for transferring is a feeling that they “just don’t fit” at the college. A better way to help students choose colleges is to help them examine their better-developed personality preferences and compare how well they fit in with each college’s mission, implied values, delivery of academic content, and social style. Factors Influencing College Choice I started advising high school students on the college admission process about fifteen years ago. My passion was and still is to help students find a college where they can grow and thrive. I thought that a solid knowledge of colleges would be sufficient to create an appropriate college list for my students. I had worked in college admission and financial aid for a decade and knew a thing or two about the admission process. However, I’ve learned that knowledge of the colleges and the student’s academic profile are only a part of the picture. An intangible but important variable in choosing a college is the student’s innate personality his or her preferences, tendencies, and personal characteristics. A college is a good match for a given student when it provides fertile soil By C. Claire Law M.S. Certified Educational Planner T for those preferences to grow. Hence it’s important to look at a college’s mission, fields of study offered, and the types of student who are happy there. To help find the right fit for a student I am working with, I look at the student’s innate personality preferences by using the well-known Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI©) assessment tool. Once a student has determined his or her innate preferences (as assessed by the MBTI©), I can better guide them in selecting the best colleges for them based not just on location and cost but also on learning style. Colleges Have “Personalities,” Too! After visiting hundreds of colleges, it became apparent to me that some deliver an education that has a practical use in the end while others deliver a sort of interdisciplinary core of courses and electives that appeal to students who like to learn anything and everything. I examined the general teaching approach of individual colleges and compared these with the ways students like to learn. For example, concrete learners prefer to know the practical application of a given course. If such students are in a sociology class, they may wonder what good it will do them when it comes time to find a job. The more abstract learners, on the other hand, will likely be interested in such a course even though it has nothing to do with their major or the field in which they will eventually work. Take a look at colleges such as Brown University and the University of Pennsylvania. (I’m referencing these highly visible colleges simply because people are more likely to know something about them.) Brown University tends to appeal to the student who likes to learn by exploring and following his intellectual curiosity, wherever it may lead. Thus, you may find that these students are perfectly comfortable in classes like Semiotics. U Penn, on the other hand, appeals more to a student who likes to gather all the pertinent information about a field of study and then see how it can be applied in the real world. Here’s another example: The University of Richmond appeals to the student who can take in knowledge in an interdisciplinary, way, respect tradition, and yet move forward intellectually into innovative, interdisciplinary and transformative classes such as those offered at the Jepson School of Leadership. Roanoke College, on the other hand, imparts a work ethic that embodies the Lutheran tradition, which includes the importance of getting things done, being of service to others, and preparing for purposeful work after graduation. An Informed Choice is a Better Choice The labor department indicates that college costs have risen for decades. Since 1978, they have risen 1125%, nearly double the rise of the cost of health care. The average cost of tuition at a state school is an average of $30,000 annually in-state and $45,000 for an out-of-state student. Choosing which college your child will attend is a very big financial decision. And of course, you want your child to be happy and successful at whichever college he or she chooses. Looking at personality traits, researching school profiles and missions, and using assessment tools such as MTBI are excellent ways to help you and your student make the best choice. C. Claire Law, M.S., is a college advisor and advocate for students and the coauthor of Find the Perfect College For You, an examination of the sixteen MBTI© personality types at 82 well-known national colleges. She can be reached at claire@eduave.com or www.eduave.com 2013 • Issue 5 Piedmont Family Magazine 5