In May I joined a group of independent educational consultants and toured five schools/ programs in two days along the beautiful Connecticut shoreline. While each serve students with individualized needs they each do it in a very different way.

Our first stop was The Grove School in New Haven, Connecticut. This small co-educational therapeutic boarding school meandered across a country road. Three very engaging students guided us around campus showing us the academic buildings, health center, residence halls and even their farm animals complete with a chicken coop.  The Grove School specializes in helping kids 7th through 12th grade with social, emotional and learning challenges that have impacted the quality of their lives. The Grove School helps each student understand themselves and their needs while meeting their academic achievements in a safe and supportive environment.  They also offer a post-graduate/transition program “tailored to the student’s individual interests, capabilities, and goals. This includes opportunities to gain further education at local colleges, adult educational programs, trade and technical schools, as well as employment, and volunteering experiences.”

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It’s down to the wire, time to make the final college choice. Having more than one college choice is an exciting opportunity for any student and their parents.  And while factors such as location, size, campus life and majors are important there are other data points to consider that might help tip the scale. Here are a few items to consider to help make the difficult choice:

College Testing Resources

Colleges and Universities That Do Not Use SAT/ACT Scores to Admit Substantial Numbers of Students Into Bachelor Degree Programs

Financial Aid Resources

Net Price Calculator
Tool to Determine your Net Price to Attend a College or University.

Other College Selection Resources

College Completion Rates:
List of Graduation Rates from Public four-year colleges, Public two-year colleges, Private four-year colleges, For-profit four-year colleges, For-profit two-year colleges.

What is your measure of success for your student after graduation?

Is it completing a four year college degree? Is it completing a two year associates degree? Is it completing a trade school and entering an apprenticeship program?  Or maybe it is obtaining gainful employment out of high school to help them be independent tax paying, health insured adults.  Or a combination of the above. Whatever your measure of success is for your student, it doesn’t happen by chance or at least successfully by chance.

I have witnessed many parents and students during their student’s senior year of high school who are panicked because they are not sure what direction to go. However, often times that same panic is not with the student.  Many of the students have a dream but unfortunately it isn’t realistic for a number of reasons. It might not be commiserate with their abilities,  doesn’t meet the financial constraints of their family or just isn’t well thought out.  Of course, there are those few that do have a good plan and that is when you say…go for it! If it fails, you are there for them to make adjustments.

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