Coke vs. Pepsi

In my capacity as Admissions Dean, I am often asked to sit on panels for parent college information nights at high schools.  Let me tell you that this is one of the most enjoyable aspects of my job – it truly allows me the opportunity to give families the real ‘inside scoop’ I know they crave.

Generally, I am asked to talk about the college search process in general and how to choose a college to apply to and ultimately enroll at.  This is certainly a tricky topic as it depends a great deal on your individual metric for evaluating what is the ‘best’ school for a given student.  For a while, I struggled with an accessible way to share my thoughts on the topic.  I have fairly strong feelings in this area, believing that the focus is too often centered on metrics such as admit rate, application volume, GPA and SAT averages, or ‘name’ schools that are easily identifiable by a Division I athletics program.

Then, a couple years ago, I had my one bright idea for the decade (marrying Dr. Wife was the one from the last decade, in case you wondered.)  I realized that selecting a college is a lot like the age old battle of Coke vs. Pepsi.  This realization led to the creation of an exercise which has a dual purpose:  First, it allows folks who have been stuck in rush hour traffic only to be squeezed into the HS auditorium a chance to spread their ways.  Second… well, let me set it up first.

The exercise goes like this.  Everyone stands up.  Then, I ask that you think about a wonderful, hot day at the beach.  You’re thirsty, and you want a soda.  Imagine that you have access to a cooler filled with every possible soda option there is.  You can choose any soda (or cola or pop depending on your preference) that you desire.  Which would you choose?

I think ask everyone that you choose good old fashioned Coke Classic to sit down.  Next, I ask everyone that would choose a plain Pepsi to sit down.  Then, I ask everyone to look around.  Inevitably, when given a choice of any soda option, the Coke Classic and Pepsi contingent add up to about 10% of the audience.  This is the college search.

If Coke represents all flagship public universities (i.e. UMASS Amherst, UCONN Storrs, Binghamton, UNC Chapel Hill, etc.) and Pepsi represents the Top 50 U.S. News Privates (Harvard, Yale, Amherst, etc.), then the vast majority of students are going to school somewhere else.  With almost 4,000 accredited colleges and universities in the U.S. (not to mention universities abroad), you have a lot of options.  The goal is to find the school that will quench YOUR appetites for learning, social life, and personal growth, not some prescribed ‘ranked’ school that is most recognized on a bumper sticker.

To my point, I sometimes refer to Dean College as the Jolt Cola of colleges and universities.  It isn’t for everyone, but those that are looking for what we offer swear by us.  You may be looking for Jolt Cola.  You might be looking for Dr. Pepper.  You might even be looking for Coke or Pepsi.  The key is to keep an open mind and explore all your options so you can find the place that truly fits your tastes, not just the options that are ‘brand’ names.  If you take the time and effort, you will likely find that special flavor that satisfies you again and again.