Is this you?

Hi! Mike here. I have pretty strong opinions about how college admissions should work and what it should feel like, so I’m building The U of Me with very specific people in mind. In fact, one of my slogans for The U of Me is “College admissions for people who get it.”

So what do I mean by that? Start here and see if I’m speaking your language. If you see yourself in this list, you’re our kind of people. Come sign up and check it out.

I should add, even if this isn’t where you’re coming from, you’re absolutely welcome to use The U of Me in your own way. In fact, that’s kind of the point: that everyone should feel comfortable setting the college priorities they want, in the way that makes sense to them.

Let’s start with the basics.

You’re applying to college, and you take this decision pretty seriously.

You’re a high school student who’s applying to college, or will be soon. Or, you’re the parent of someone who is, or you’re the advisor or consultant at their side.

You want to be informed and you’re willing to do your homework.

You’ve been to your local college fair, your copy of Fiske’s is dog-eared and full of notes, and you’ve bookmarked at least a dozen college admissions websites.

You know what actually matters to you.

You’ll look at the published ratios and rankings, but you know those are only skin deep. You want to know what the academics and campus life are actually like — because know yourself well enough to tell when an environment will just work for you.

You’re not alone in this.

You’re sharing notes with your parents, favorite teachers, friends, neighbors — anyone who you respect and who you think cares about where you end up in your future.

But it’s not always easy.

You have needs.

You need a campus with a vegetarian-friendly dining hall. Or you need to be within 200 miles of mom & dad back home in Chicago. Or you need a school that offers work-study programs. Or you’ll be bored out of your mind without big-time athletics to root for. Or all of those, or none of those — or whatever your unique wish list is. And you’ve never seen a book or magazine or web site that captures exactly what youare looking for.

You find it hard to stay on the same page with the people who are helping you.

You may not have time to sit in the same room together, or you may not even live in the same city. You’re pretty sure they have different ideas than you do, but you know you want them to be a part of the conversation as you go.

And the whole thing leaves you scared and overwhelmed.

It seems like your whole future is at stake, and you worry that the admissions process is random and out of your control. You wonder if others have inside information or access that you don’t have. Plus, you’re facing pressure to get into and pick schools that other people like.

Still, your heart and head are in the right place, and you want to do it right.

You want to go to a school where you can flourish and grow, not just kill time.

You want to get into the best school you can, but you still have some perspective.

You want out of the craziness and hype.

And you want other kids out there to do their college search the same way you’re doing it; the more people finding schools that are right for them, the better it gets for everyone.

Bottom line: You want to pick your school, on your terms. You’re looking for your very own U of Me.

So what’s the next step?

» Sign up for The U of Me!  (it’s free and easy to get started)