For students to find the right college, they have to consider several factors, including location, academics and the culture of potential schools. They must also submit to a fair amount of self-reflection in order to find the best match for their abilities, interests and ambitions. This fall, Concordia’s Class of 2018 will be transitioning into colleges that reflect their individual goals and interests. Here’s a glimpse at how a few of those students chose their best-fit school.

Taylor

In the fall, I am planning to attend Yale University. A large factor in my decision to enroll at Yale is that they have the top humanities program in the United States, which is my current major/career interest. Also, when I visited the campus last summer, the school just seemed to fit me.

My high school World Literature, AP World History, AP Lang/Lit courses, and AP US History courses have all played a part in increasing both my interest and my knowledge in the humanities. An emphasis on global literature rather than just studying Western texts is something that is emphasized at Concordia, and I hope to continue this global perspective of literature in the future; it’s invaluable.

Kendra

I will be attending Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. I really enjoy the size of school (not too large, not too small) and it is in a beautiful, natural setting. But, perhaps the most exciting thing about attending OU is that I will be playing women’s soccer for the school’s Division 1 program.

I haven’t declared a major yet, but Oakland has a broad range of programs such as Engineering, Business, and Mandarin that I am interested to explore. So many of my high school classes have helped foster my interest in these areas of study. Some of my favorites have been Physics, Social Entrepreneurship, and my high school Mandarin classes.

Elijah

I am very excited to study computer science as part of Harvard’s class of ’22! The main reason I chose Harvard was because of the institution’s awareness of the role of technology in the evolution and development of society. I think this aligns both with Concordia’s strength in STEM and its focus on service. I also think it will be fun to learn alongside future computer scientists and develop the technical skills to use technology for social change.

Concordia helped me learn and grow so much, especially all of the classes and clubs including robotics, computer science, engineering, and physics that I had with Mr Klammer. These activities really got me interested in the sciences and planted an excitement for engineering and creation.

Alice

For me, the most important factor in choosing which colleges to apply to was whether the school offered a direct-entry medicine program. I’ve decided to attend Queen Mary University of London’s Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry because of its direct-entry medicine program that incorporates clinical exposure from the first term.

My interest in human biology initially developed as I took Honors Biology in my freshman year, and deepened through classes such as AP Biology and AP Chemistry. Applied Human Anatomy and Physiology and Epidemiology were the two classes that fueled my interest in the application of conceptual knowledge in real life, which ultimately strengthened my desire to study medicine in college.

Luke

I will be attending Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, this fall. My choice was mostly influenced by the location. I have a lot of family nearby and am very familiar with the school.

I plan on enrolling in a pre-graphic design program, so I was looking for colleges with strong programs in this area.

My participation in art classes and Concordia’s SMS have helped me develop my skills in design. I also was able to do a design-related internship as a junior, which is something a lot of students don’t have the opportunity to do. In my college application I was able to talk in depth about what I learned from my high school internship and how I grew from it.

Angela

I knew I wanted to attend a small liberal arts college where there is an abundance of resources and faculty support, just like Concordia’s small community and the accessible research and extracurricular opportunities. For that reason, I will be attending Wellesley College in the fall.

I am really interested in Wellesley’s Peace and Justice major. I applied early decision to Wellesley because the college fulfills my academic pursuits of a strong international relations program and abundant research opportunities. Also, it perfectly fits my personal qualities of leadership, service, curiosity and diversity.

Concordia is where I found my passion and leadership, and attending a women’s college will strengthen these skills and help me achieve my goals of making a difference in my field.

Katrina

I chose the University of Edinburgh, Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies because of the top-notch, direct entry veterinary medicine program. The student support available also drew me in, and it certainly helped that we have a Concordia alumna at the Dick Vet right now.

I have had a wide variety of hands-on experiences at Concordia, dating back to elementary and middle school, but my AP Environmental Science class is what spurred me to be even more interested in farm animals, especially cows. This is because in APES, we learned a lot about the impact farms have on the environment, and the fact that differences in farm management can drastically change the impact animals have on the environment.

Harper

I chose St Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, because I was looking for a strong community, similar to the one I am a part of at Concordia, where I would have the opportunity to pursue a wide range of academic and artistic interests. St Olaf also has extensive study abroad programs, which was very important to me in making my decision.

As someone who is going into college undeclared, it is really important to me that any school I choose have a strong liberal arts philosophy and a wide variety of academic options.

I have found that I am very passionate about seeing areas of need and helping to find sustainable solutions. This year my Applied Global Development class has gotten me really excited about the possibility of pursuing work in the effort to solve major global issues. Perhaps this will be a component of my college major.