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wingspan • december 11, 2009
Two year
is closer to home.” Snyder said she isn’t missing out on the expehen people picture the typical college riences that most college students have. She still experience they think of four years has to take weekly classes, and she still has homework to do. However, Snyder has living on campus in a adjusted to life on her own. dorm at a major university. Two year “Some things that I have This is not Ashley Snyder’s learned are that the transition from college experience. One-third high school to college is a lot dif Snyder is a 2009 West graduate ✓ tuition of four ferent than I expected,” she said. who decided to go to a two-year year “There are a lot more homework college. and papers than in high school.” “It took me about a month to Vocationally ✓ oriented Snyder hasn’t decided on decide that I wanted to go to Blue whether she wants to stay at BRCC Ridge Community College,” Snyor if she wants to transfer to a fourder said. ✓ Quicker degree year university. She feels that she will receive Apprentice/ “Honestly, I don’t think that I the same education from BRCC for ✓ internships in am missing out on a better educaa much lower cost. community tion because the classes at a two“Some of the reasons that I year college are the same as a fourchose to attend a two-year college year university,” Snyder said. “If I instead of a four-year university is that it is cheaper,” Snyder said. “You get the same decide to transfer, my classes will transfer.” by Kim Randall schooling as a four-year university, and the school
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lent design school, but it is still affordable.” Two-year colleges are sometimes thought to put students at a disadvantage because of the limaking her first step onto the North Carolina ited degree options. State University campus, Nettie Fisher was “I feel that going to a two-year excited about her new advencollege would have put me at a disture. Fisher chose a four-year unFour year advantage simply because of the versity because it was the best fit field I want to study,” Fisher said. for her desired career. On campus “If I had gone to a two-year college, “I decided to attend a four✓ housing I would have been able to take year university because I wanted to some art classes, but I wouldn’t study graphic design,” Fisher said. Study abroad have had the opportunity to study “Most graphic design programs are programs ✓ design right away.” offered as four-year programs.” available Fisher said that because design Money is often on the mind of Many onprograms are four years, it made seniors applying to college, and it ✓ campus the most sense for her to attend a can be a deciding factor between a activities four-year university. “I am better four year-university and a two-year off starting the program my freshMore degree technical school. ✓ opportunities man year of college,” Fisher said. “Cost was a consideration in “The four-year program at N.C. choosing which school I wanted State will prepare me to pursue my to go to. I wanted my education to master’s degree.” be affordable, but I wanted to go to a quality by Kim Randall school,” Fisher said. “N.C. State has an excel-
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Public
ssays, SAT scores, application fees and financial aid clutter the average high school senior’s brain. Many have one goal in mind: Finding the college where they will feel at home. West graduate Jessica Springer faced the same challenge of applying to college. However, for Springer, the task was simple. “I chose the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill because when the journalism staff spent four days there at a conference the summer before my senior year, I became comfortable with the campus,” Springer said. “I just knew I could fit in there.” Despite knowing that UNC-CH was her school of choice early on, Springer applied to other universities, including private Public schools Elon and Mercer University. expensive When ap✓ Less tuition plying to college, cost can affect student ✓ Larger a studen’ts final body decision. UNC, a public univerLarger class sity, has a cost of ✓ sizes $17,423. Elon, a private university, Classes possibly costs $37,225. ✓ taught by grad “Cost defistudents nitely played a factor,” Springer said. “Carolina ranks with the best of them in academic rigor, but it also receives state funding. It has great academics for just a fraction of the price.” Springer said that despite UNC’s large student body she rarely feels overlooked. “Groups hand out free candy and balloons, run around with fairy wings, play accordions and dress up as Pacman,” she said. “I love that the school doesn’t feel big. There’s never a time that you don’t see a person you know on your way to class.” by Kyle Keith
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est graduate Sarah Lyons had a tough senior year. Lyons was taking AP classes, held several leadership positions and was applying to seven colleges. Five of those were private, and all had extremely competitive admissions policies. “I applied to Furman, UNC-Chapel Hill, N.C. State, Davidson, Berry, Guilford and Wake Forest,” Lyons said. “I wanted to have a nice variety of schools to choose from.” Despite the array of schools that Lyons applied to, she said that attending a private university, Furman, has paid off. She said that private colleges have many benefits public schools do not. “You get more personal attention from the actual professors, and teacher’s asPrivate sistants rarely exist,” Lyons said. More “It costs more, but ✓ expensive the experience is tuition focused on buildMore personal ing individuals, ✓ attention both academically and emotionally.” More However, cost ✓ scholarships did play a major offered role in Lyons’s fiSmaller class nal decision. ✓ sizes “The school I was planning on going to, Wake Forest, did not offer me as nice of a financial package,” Lyons said. “The financial package definitely played a major part in encouraging me to choose Furman.” Lyons said she loves attending Furman and the short distance between Hendersonville and campus. “I absolutely love the campus size-topopulation ratio,” Lyons said. “The campus is nicely spaced out and is very large. The academics are outstanding, and the professors genuinely care about the success of their students.” by Kyle Keith
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In-State
responsible for your own work,” Baker said. “I get to spend a lot of time with my roommates when I’m not in class. The only downside is that I have a elissa Baker, a 2009 graduate, knew the lot of homework. My favorite part is meeting new University of North Carolina-Charlotte people and learning new things. I got sick of bewas the place for her the ing in the same town with the same moment she stepped on campus. people my whole life.” “UNC-Charlotte’s location is Baker said in-state colleges are In-state really good. There are a lot of difmore convenient to students who ferent things to do around it. The want to stay close to home. With ✓ No extra fees campus is really scenic and simple the gas prices fluctuating, being to figure out where everything is,” closer to home is less expensive. Generally Baker said. “ I chose an in-state colThe farther away their college ✓ closer to home lege because it was close enough is, the more money it costs to come to visit Hendersonville, and it was home for a weekend. Better chance of cheaper than an out-of-state col“The cost of gas does affect me ✓ being familiar lege.” because I do spend a lot of money with the students The transition didn’t bother on gas to come home, and I don’t Baker because of the short twoget to come home as often,” Baker Better availability hour drive from Charlotte back said. “My roommate (Leah Schul✓ for grants and home. She said that being in a new er) and I split the cost and ride scholarships place where she didn’t grow up has home together so it’s not too bad. been a learning experience. I visit home once a month, and it’s “College is so different from high school. only about a two hour drive.” Classes are a lot harder, and you have to be more by Whitney Howell
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Four year
2009 West graduates share their experiences
Out-of-State
“Campus life is good, and I like all the experiences that are new to me. I’m glad I don’t go to an in-state college where I have grown up in that est graduate Mitch Justus had a tough area my whole life,” Justus said. “About 90 perdecision to make. The two colleges he cent of the time I am either playing soccer, eatwas torn between were ing, sleeping or doing schoolwork. the University of North Carolina at The workload definitely increases, Chapel Hill and Brown University which is tough to balance when Out-of-state in Rhode Island. you basically make your own rules Overcome with stress and inabout how you live.” Visit new decision, he made his choice right Visiting home when at✓ places before the deadline: Brown. tending an out-of-state college “I like the fact that I knew no may be inconvenient. The disnew ✓ Meet one when I got here and that I’m tance may be too far to drive, people getting a totally new experience. and airline tickets are pricey. At first I was worried about be “The only disadvantage I have Extra tuition ✓ fees ing homesick, but it never ended found in going out-of-state is I up being a problem,” Justus said. can’t come home very much,” “Growing up someplace can make Justus said. “From Rhode Island ✓ Further from you underappreciate it, but I think it’s a 15-hour drive back home, so home living in Rhode Island will really I don’t plan on driving back. Even help me understand how much I though plane tickets are expensive, actually like my hometown.” it’s manageable since I only plan to Justus says high school is easier than college, visit home once a year.” and Justus has many responsibilities. by Whitney Howell
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Making the choice: College decisions on the minds of seniors “I’ve had an offer from UNC-Asheville since freshman year. I was looking at bigger schools, but when I broke my ankle they all dropped me. UNCAsheville was there ready to stand by their offer. It really meant a lot to me. I’ve met some great professors; I know I can get a great education and I can meet some cool people.”
Meredith Foster senior
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“I am currently looking at N.C. State, the University of Colorado and the Air Force Academy. I hope to major in aerospace engineering, and they all have great engineering programs. I hope to get a good education that I can use anywhere. While in college, I will join Air Force ROTC, but the Air Force Academy is my first choice.”
“I’m going to A-B Tech. I’m not positive what to do, and I don’t want to go to a four-year college when it’s more money and I’m getting the same amount of credits. I want to go into dental hygiene. When I graduate, I hope to leave with a degree and good communication skills. I want to graduate and find a good, steady job.”
Katelyn McCoy senior
Ian Phillips senior
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“Right now I’m looking at South Florida, Tampa, Florida State, the University of Florida and Liberty University. My parents started a prepaid college plan, so if I go to a Florida school, I get in-state tuition. I plan to major in music, go on the pre-med track and graduate with a degree in music, then go to grad school for pharmacy.”
Matt McMullen senior
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