People Person
I'm dating myself but, paraphrasing Barbra Streisand’s famous lyric, people need people. (Ask your parents for a cultural reference.)
The second “P” in your college discovery phase is pretty straightforward. Once you’ve evaluated program, it’s time to consider the people who will populate your undergraduate experience. This is the ingredient that makes it memorable. Professors and deans, coaches, fellow undergrads, grad students (teaching assistants), librarians, choir directors, the dining staff... Some combination of these people will play a role in your college community so taking some measure of the folks who will share your campus makes sense.
Who will teach you, study with you, play with you, feed you? Do you see mentors, friends, kindred spirits in their midst? Do their interests and passions match yours? Will these people stretch your perspectives and personal boundaries or will they reinforce the person you are today? In other words, do you seek personalities who share your comfort zone or is it time to meet people who will push you into less defined places and spaces, literally and figuratively? Neither type is right or wrong; it's all about your priorities and preferences. Remember: this is your college search. You might not have the answer to this topic just yet, but it’s something that will come to you as you explore. So pay attention.
So how do you meet this cast of campus characters as your college search unfolds? Some will appear at admissions open house programs: they will be panelists or presenters or you’ll bump into them while you’re peeking into a lab or backstage. Like any interaction, you'll get a good sense of the people from these encounters. Were they welcoming or aloof? Did they seem happy with the place or was there an ambivalence about them? Were they interesting, engaging, funny, provocative, conventional, boring, well-informed…? What were your impressions of them?
Others will emerge via the social media that’s abundantly available to you. What are people talking about and how are they talking about it? Does it resonate with you? Can you imagine taking a class with her or having a conversation with him? If you love politics do you see a buzz in that regard?
When you visit a campus, look around. What do you notice? Are students walking in groups or by themselves? Are they laughing? Is everyone paying more attention to their cell than their peers? (That would make me wonder who they're texting...) Stroll through the student center and see what you notice. What kind of posters are on the walls? Maybe you laugh at the chalkings on a sidewalk or stumble upon a student protest. What are they saying? What does it say about the institution? (Remember, Utopia College has not yet been founded, so there should always be some bumps to consider.)
Ask the admissions receptionist if you can observe a class. See what the classroom experience is like.
Check out the campus demographics. Assess the mix of people on campus: different styles, races, types? Do you see cliques or organic mixing? Pop into the dining hall. Do you see hipsters hanging with preppies? (How’s the food?) Does everyone dress the same way or is it hard to categorize the community? What percentage of the student body receives financial aid; comes from California; follows the pre-med track; goes abroad as a junior; is a race different than your own; participates in varsity athletics? Do something similar for the professors. You make the list according to what matters to you.
Simply put, consider the people you want to find at your college, not just the name that will end up on your diploma.