2 + 2 = 4

There's so much pressure when trying to choose a college. You're not just trying to pick an institution with high academic standards but you're also looking for a place to be your home for at least the next four years. Seven if you're my brother.

Some people go to college to find themselves and figure out what life path they will be taking. Some also go for their MRS degree. That term is reserved for females that go to school for the sole purpose of finding a husband (Get it? Mrs.). This is often found at Christian or extremely religious schools. There are other reasons people decide to go to college but the majority are going in order to get a good job and make money.

From the moment we enter high school we are bombarded with information about why one school is better than another. Parents play a big part in the decision process too. It's natural for parents to want to relive their college days through their children. That might mean some school sweatshirts for Christmas or even a random singing of the alma mater at dinner. I stumbled across an article that found the schools with graduates that make the most money. Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, California took first place with an average of $126,000 a year. Sounds promising to incoming students that are looking to buy their first Beemer and McMansion after graduation. Too bad it has an average enrollment of 738 undergrads. I graduated from high school with almost that many kids. That does not sound like an exciting college experience to me, but that's me. We rank schools based on things like graduate salaries and sports programs instead of how they will best fit the personalities of the students.

My boss' daughter is a junior in high school and she is starting the college process. This girl is under an outrageous amount of pressure from her school but thankfully not from her parents. They're very level headed and are letting her take it day by day. Naturally, she wants to go to a "good" school so she's looking at NYU, Vanderbilt and other schools with big names and big reputations. These schools look good on paper, except for that nasty bill that comes along with them, but what if they're not the right fit for her? There's something to be said about a comfortable environment, local entertainment and a diverse student body.

There was one moment that decided it all for me. I was taking a tour of Villanova University with my dad in my senior year of high school. I wasn't overly impressed with the school during the tour. Yeah it has a beautiful campus and a friendly atmosphere but that wasn't doing it for me. The moment I knew that it was the school for me was at the very end as our tour guide was saying goodbye. Two of his friends happened to be walking by and they decided to drop their pants and walk by the group of prospective students, and parents, in just their boxers. The fact that two 20 year old guys walked buy in their underwear did nothing for me but the act itself made me realize that it was the place I needed to be. They felt so comfortable in their environment that they had no problem just being themselves and having fun. That's the kind of place I needed to be.

There's an old joke that goes...What do you call people who got C's in med school? Doctors. When it comes down to picking the right school, there are so many more important things to look at besides education rankings. 2 + 2 = 4 at every single school you look at. Nietzsche is still nearly impossible to read no matter where you go. College is about more than the promise of a good salary upon graduation. It's about experiencing life and discovering who you're going to be.