I remember not so many years ago when I was a high school senior and February and March rolled around I was so excited because I had been admitted to almost every school I applied (Thank you Notre Dame for ruining my perfect batting average!). After the excitement of receiving my acceptance and the scholarships that followed had worn off, I realized that easy part was over.
You see, I was similar to many seniors in high school that I applied to too many schools and because I had performed pretty well in high school, I had been accepted to many of the schools that I applied. With all of these acceptances sitting on my desk, I had to now answer one very BIG question.
"Which of these colleges is the best fit for me?"
All of the schools that I was accepted to wereaesthetically pleasing to the eye. The grass was green, the flowers in bloom, and there were definitely PLENTY of beautiful girls that would undoubtedly love me. So what made them stand apart?
Well in the end, I decided that Sacred Heart stood apart because it had both of the majors I was considering at the time, facilities were relatively new, and the job placement and internship placement was extremely high.
However, in the end, the two biggest factors for me in investing my education in Sacred Heart wasthe community of people involved with the University, and the opportunities that SHU provided to learn and engage myself outside of the classroom.
From my very first visit to Sacred Heart I could feel the deep sense of community that is so often noted by our visitors. There was just something different in the atmosphere at Sacred Heart. Unlike many of the college tours that I went on at other schools, the students at Sacred Heart (not the tour guides) engaged me in conversation, telling me what an awesome place SHU was and asked me what other schools I was considering. When I told them which other schools I was looking at(all excellent institutions), they responded by saying , "What are you crazy. Don't go there. This is the place to be!" Now, while their opinions may have been a little biased it was quite apparent that these students had a deep connection to SHU and they wanted me and others to become a part of their community and to feel that connection. This sense of belonging helped me realize that SHU is where I would someday call home!
Another important factor for me in choosing a school was to find a place that gave me an opportunity to get involved outside of the classroom. Sacred Heart University provided me with opportunities to get involved outside of the classroom that were unmatched by any of the other schools I was considering. While God didn't provide me the ability to play a Division 1 sport, Sacred Heart offered club sports which were a great way to keep that competitive drive going because rather then playing my friends, we competed against other colleges. If club sports aren't your thing- you can look to the intramural. Perhaps you prefer community service, choir, band, dance team, theater, student government, environmental clubs, outing clubs, car clubs, fashion clubs, vegetarian clubs, studying abroad, or evenjust tailgating at the Division 1 sporting events. Whatever your interest may be, I am very confident that SHU can provide it for you.
What I will challengeprospective students to do over the next month or two is to make a commitment to yourself. Commit to find what it is that you are looking for in your future, and explore all of the opportunities that your various schools offer you. What is it that you are really looking for in a school? Academic Programs? Community? Residential Life? Student Life? Career Opportunities? Work to find these answers and I am confident your path will lead you back to SHU. If you don't believe me, look what the experts are saying: http://www.sacredheart.edu/pages/19792_accreditations_endorsements_and_recognitions.cfm
Congratulations again on your acceptance...now get to work!
