Guest Blog from contributing writer, Kiersten Murphy. Kiersten owns Murphy College Consultants and helps high school students navigate the college admissions process; from planning a budget, picking the right school for each student, finding great schools that offer great scholarships, SAT prep, etc. She works with students all over the country and lives right here in Snoqualmie. Kiersten cannot say enough great things about this upcoming college event at Bellevue’s Meydenbauer Center on July 28th.
If you are interested in taking a deeper look at some colleges that fly under the radar, but are arguably just as significant as those big ‘name brand’ schools, take a look at Loren Pope’s book Colleges That Change Lives (CTCL) which explores colleges that share common characteristics such as a lifelong love of learning and providing a foundation for a successful life.
When Mr. Pope put together this book in 1996, he wanted to look beyond misconceptions and misinformation about colleges in this nation, and wanted to provide families with alternatives to make informed choices.
According to the CTCL website, the schools share the following characteristics:
• low student-to-faculty ratios that foster collaboration, engaged learning, and personal attention
• a commitment to undergraduate education focusing on the liberal arts and sciences
• a living and learning environment that is primarily residential and emphasizes the benefits of community, personal growth, participation, and involvement
• smaller student enrollment
• out-of-classroom learning opportunities including participation in internships, study abroad, service to others, and special interest activities
• holistic admission policies including several with “test-optional” routes to admission
• alumni networks that stand ready to help graduates with professional and career development opportunities
This month, the Colleges That Change Lives group will visit our area and give you an opportunity to learn more about the forty colleges that are a part of CTCL such as Whitman College, College of Wooster, Centre College, Rhodes College and St. Olaf College to name a few.
They will be in Bellevue, Washington on July 28th at 10:00 AM (promptly) at the Meydenbauer Center.
P.S. Did you know that Steve Carrell, Jennifer Nettles, Michael C Hall (“Dexter”) and Jennifer Garner (the other half of Ben Affleck) are all CTCL grads? Check out CTCL’s notable alums with this interactive slideshow.
