Choosing a College

One of the main headaches of this summer has been finding a violin teacher for my 6-year old daughter.  To be sure, there are plenty of violin teachers in our area; the problem has been finding the RIGHT FIT.  I shouldn't be surprised by this, because she started one year ago, and we had the same struggles then.  We finally found the right teacher, but sadly, she moved away last month.  I'm back at the beginning, relearning the same lessons about choosing a teacher.  And I'd like to point out that there are a lot of similarities between finding the right teacher to choosing a college that fits YOU!  

I should preface this comparison by pointing out something critical:  we are looking for a Suzuki-method teacher.  I like this method for the violin, and agree with the approach to early focus on form and tone, individual attention, and helping a student learn technique in the context of learning songs.  If you don't agree with the Suzuki method--that's fine.  In fact, it's critical to recognize that everyone will look for and value different things!  That's the point of this comparison (stick with me...)

We started our journey to find a teacher by two ways:  1)  looking on the Suzuki Web, and 2) asking around.  I got a few names from the Suzuki website, started to contact them, and began making appointments to observe a lesson and/or set up a trial lesson.  When I asked around, I heard various names with varying degrees of admiration for the said person and their teaching style.  I heard about one teacher in particular that seemed to glitter with accolades and praise.  People talked about what an amazing performer she was, the great path her own career was on, and how encouraging she was with teenage violinists.  When I called her and asked if she taught using the Suzuki method, she answered yes.  It seemed like a great fit, right?  

We began taking lessons from her...not individual lessons but group lessons, which was a switch from our previous experience.  Instead of the Suzuki method, she taught the traditional method, which stresses note-reading from Day One.  Even though my daughter has taken for a year, she was in a class with 4 other girls that had never played the violin before.  It wasn't actually the experience we had been looking for.  I was unhappy for a lot of reasons, but most importantly because it didn't fit our expectations that our daughter be taught in the Suzuki method, that she would have individual lessons, and that it would be reasonably affordable.

For another parent, perhaps group lessons are highly encouraging.  For another parent, perhaps the price wasn't too expensive.  For another parent, perhaps reading music early trumped the other skills of form and tone.  One isn't right and one isn't wrong:  they simply are different bests.  And this is where it is similar to choosing a college.  I would say that 99% of colleges and universities are bests in different ways.  It all depends on what you are looking for.    

I usually tell my students this:  There is a reason why you've loved being at DaVinci.  It's small.  The teachers want to help you.  They listen to you, help you, and work with you.  You are part of this cool family-type-school that actually looks at each student as an individual.  There are pros and cons of every environment:  a small school may not have all the big programs of a big school, but they focus on the individual.  You've probably stayed at DaVinci because you value that individual attention...and it trumps the funny quirks that you do have in a small charter school.  Try to find a college or university with a similar atmosphere and vibe of appreciating the educational growth of one person, not turning out the masses.  (For anyone reading this that attends a different school--you can ask the same questions.  What do I really need in a school to be successful?  What methods of teaching do I agree with / respond to?  What environments help me to thrive?  Do I enjoy a small environment--or do I feel stifled by it?  Am I overwhelmed by a big university--or do I rise to the challenge?)  Asking and answering honest questions about your own learning style and personality will help you to choose the right college for you.

A few more tips to choosing YOUR Best College:    

Lesson #1:  How Teachers Teach

Be specific about how a college approaches teaching.  Do they push the professors to research and publish--or do they encourage them to teach?  Some universities put so much emphasis on publishing, that the actual work of teaching goes mainly to Grad Students or Teacher's Assistants.  You are essentially paying for the "name" of the college and the professor, but you aren't actually getting to take a class from the famous professor that drew you to the college.  Be aware of who will teach you--because this is essentially the bread and butter of your college experience.  Some colleges value teaching; some do not.  Look for colleges and programs that value and support the actual art of teaching.

Lesson #2:  Outside the Class

Do professors actually have time to talk to you for...5 minutes?  Because when it comes down to it, THIS is what will help you in college.  Not their list of credentials.  Not the books they've published.  It is the fact that a professor will take time to look at your papers, give you feedback, help you find internships, figure out what you are actually interested in.  Also, it isn't just the professors that make or break a college experience.  Is there a network of other professionals to help you?  Will the lady in financial aid actually answer your question, or are you simply told "Go look at the website."  Is there a Counselor that helps with setting up Summer Internships, or are you encouraged to simply, "Be aggressive--you'll find something."  If professors and librarians and secretaries are willing to talk to you, pay attention.  You need multiple people to help you through college, and you should know what level of responsiveness you will get around campus.  

Lesson #3:  The REAL Campus
When this teacher said to me, "Yes, I teach suzuki", I took it for face value.  I've since learned that there is teaching using the Suzuki books--and teaching using the Suzuki method.  I should have said, "I'd like to come and have a trial lesson."  In like manner, there is nothing like actually going and SEEING it.  Go to a college.  Sit in a classroom.  Tour the actual department.  Talk to professors.  Make sure that all the nice and glittery stuff they say on their website actually happens in the Biology classroom or the Music Program.  Make sure it is a match for what you expect in a college education.  Sure, college tours do take time, but it's time well invested to make sure that you are in the right place for at least four years of your life (see my previous post on how to make the most of the college visit).

Lesson #4:  The Cost

Just because one university charges more--doesn't mean that the quality goes up.  The spectrum of college tuition ranges from $2,500 / year (community colleges), to $60,000 / year (private colleges and universities).  Be wary of being pulled into the belief that because something costs more--that it is worth more.  Sometimes a higher price translates to a better experience...sometimes it doesn't.  Be sure that you don't pay top-dollar for a sub-par experience.  You should ask  honest questions:  "Will my classes at this college by vastly different because I am paying more?"  Ask these to the professors, the students already on campus--and most important to yourself.

Lesson #5:  "The Best" vs. "Your Best"
There is no "best teacher" or "best method" or "best school".  Even though other parents told me that this specific violin teacher was "the best", and that I'd be crazy to have my daughter take violin lessons from anyone else, I disagree.  I want my daughter to learn with the Suzuki method, and this teacher that was supposedly "the best" simply doesn't teach with this method.  In a similar way, just because your best friend or cousin or older brother thinks that one college is "the best", every student should choose for themselves.  This takes a good dose of self-awareness, as well as the ability to say, "I recognize this decision may seem 'less than' the other option.  I think it is 'my best option' because of..."


I hope that anyone who reads this takes a little more time to choose a college--and to choose well.  My mistake only cost $80 and one month's time...and it was still a difficult pill to swallow difficult to feel like we had wasted time.  Prepare now so that you don't waste any money or time pursuing someone else's college dreams....even if it is highly recommended by your best friend, neighbor, or older brother.  Be willing to find your best.  

(If you want to read more about choosing a college, read Where You Go  and Where You Go, Part 2)