A few weeks ago, while shopping at the Evergreen Village Square farmers’ market, I noticed one of the vendors was wearing a shirt that had the UC Merced logo on it.  I asked him if he attended Merced and his replied “yes”. I then began a conversation with him, asking the usual questions – how do you like it? What are you majoring in? What made you choose Merced? Etc.  The young man was very enthusiastic in his response, stating he loved it and that he’s majoring in mechanical engineering. He also mentioned that it was ideal for him because he’s from the Central Valley and attending Merced allows him to be close (but not too close) and still help his family out with their farming business.  We both remarked about how so many students and parents look down on Merced as the “undesired” UC campus, yet there are indeed great opportunities there for students interested in the sciences.  He talked about the variety of clubs on campus, and various field trips to companies like Tesla that occur on a regular basis.

Fast forward to this past week.  While again shopping at this vendor’s booth, I overheard a woman asking the same young man the questions I first posed to him – Do you go to Merced? Do you like it? She went on to say, “My son applied there and he’s interested in engineering, so I was just wondering.”  I smiled as I listened to the conversation and then remarked to the mom “I asked him those same questions a couple of weeks ago.  I’m a college counselor and I’m always interested in hearing what students have to say about different schools.” As I paid for my produce, I told the young man, “it’s great that you are representing your school” and he beamed with pride.

I share this story because it reflects one of the many ways I learn about different colleges – from a student perspective.  Conversations like these are not scripted or with student ambassadors on a formal college tour so often they represent a truer picture. Yes, it’s only one student’s response, but it opens up areas for further research or discussion. I’m always happy to hear students clearly articulate why a particular institution is a good fit for him/her specifically as this young man was able to do.

The beauty of working with students individually is that I get to build relationships with them over time. As we work together to build a college list, I press them on the things that really matter to them as part of their college experience. Sometimes they aren’t really sure or they only identify attributes that comprise the “outer layer” of the experience – name familiarity, geographic location, size, major. I challenge them to explore more deeply and consider attributes like collaborative environment, political climate, hands-on learning, disability support, test-optional, and more. One of the best tools I’ve found to use with my students is Corsava Card Sort (https://corsava.com/) which allows students to assess 100+ attributes and categorize them into 4 categories:  Must Have, Nice to Have, No Way, and Don’t Care.  These ratings are used to open dialogue about their categorization (which often leads to a few being moved around) and begin building a list of colleges based on those attributes for the student to explore.

The process comes full circle when I’m able to follow up with students, especially after their first year of college to get an update on their college experience.  I absolutely love these check-ins! After arriving on campus students may change majors, explore new interests via campus organizations, engage in local community activities, get a part-time job, or pursue a club sport.  The stories and experiences are endless! As I visit campus across the country, the joy I get from actually seeing former students in their new “homes” is absolutely priceless!  Staying in touch with students – and even parents – is a bonus for me because it provides me with a source of students who are able to speak to their experiences at a particular college much like the young man at the farmers’ market.

So what are the takeaways?  College students, “rep your school”, because you never know who’s paying attention and it’s always a great conversation starter.  High school students, if you’re curious or want to know more, just ask; be open to gathering a variety of data as you research schools, including current and former students.  Parents, just like your students, I encourage you to continue being inquisitive – and open to learning about new schools that may not have been on your radar previously.  Remember, the rock you turn over may reveal a brilliantly shining jewel.  The Journey Begins with You…!

Antoinette Battiste is an Independent Educational Consultant and 20+ year resident of Evergreen.   She is an active volunteer with many community organizations in Silicon Valley, including Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., Santa Clara County Alliance of Black Educators (SCCABE), Silicon Valley Black Chamber of Commerce, the African American Community Services Agency (AACSA), and the Northern California Association of Morehouse Parents (NCAMP).