MacKenzie Webb, junior, business management
“Make good choices.” Those were the words my parents always hollered at me as I was dashing out the door to go on whatever adventure my friends and I had planned that day. For me, senior year of high school was when my parents gave me some control over the reins of my life and more freedom to make my own choices. The freedom was a head rush because for once, I was finally being treated like the adult I always wanted to be. The adrenaline rush of freedom came crashing down when the acceptance letters came in for my top two college choices. I remember wondering if I could make this huge life decision on my own. Ohio State Buckeye or Kentucky Wildcat? Who do you want to be? Will you make the right choice?
I bet you can guess what decision I made! I am so thankful I made the right choice for me by becoming an Ohio State Buckeye. Without The Ohio State University at Newark, I wouldn’t be half the student or individual I am today. The Newark campus was supposed to be a temporary home before I made the transition to Columbus. However, the campus, faculty and my fellow students made it too hard to leave, so I decided to extend my stay indefinitely.
Ohio State Newark has given me many opportunities to expand my skills and knowledge. After English 1110.01, Professor Shawna Green believed in my writing abilities enough to recommend me to take English 3467S to train to become a tutor at the Ohio State Newark Writer’s Studio. Through the Writer’s Studio, I have found a passion for helping students improve their writing skills. Getting to watch their confidence in their writing flourish is extremely satisfying to me. Working at the studio has given me the opportunity to meet like-minded individuals who have become friends for life. Through the Writer’s Studio, I also found the passion to continue developing my own writing which led me to pursue an unplanned minor in professional writing. The professional writing minor led me to an internship at the Office of Marketing and Public Relations on campus that has changed my writing abilities and solidified my choice to become a business major and a Buckeye!
One of the most important decisions in choosing a school is looking at the tuition cost. Even though it seems like an obvious factor to look at, many overlook the cost because they will take out student loans to cover it and won’t have to worry about paying it back until after they graduate. This was one of the biggest factors that sent me running the other direction from attending the University of Kentucky. While I loved everything the university had to offer, I could not justify spending thousands of dollars to receive a similar if not better education at Ohio State. It is not worth putting yourself into crippling debt when you have similar opportunities to get a great education.
Consider class sizes in your choice. Are you going to be comfortable asking questions in a room of one hundred people or more? Are you going to get the necessary attention from the professor you need to succeed? For me, smaller class sizes are a must. I am easily distracted by others and not the most outgoing when it comes to answering and asking questions. When I came to Ohio State Newark, I knew I would get the most out of my learning experience because I wouldn’t be anxious to go to class and participate.
While many students choose colleges far away from their families to experience their new freedom, it isn’t always easy to be away from them in a new place. Take the location of your school into consideration. For the past 18 years of your life, you have spent the majority of your time near family. They are oftentimes who you turn to when you need a boost of confidence or support. Remember to take into account how much you lean on your family. A school that is a couple of hours away will still give you the experience of being independent.
Making a decision is never easy regardless of how big or small it is. Choosing the right college is a big decision to make because it affects the rest of your life. While I was lucky enough to have made the right choice, many others make the college decision based on the sports team, the college parties, and how far it is away from their family. Oftentimes, they learn that college wasn’t the best fit, and they should have considered other factors when making their decisions. Make the right choice for your future by weighing your options and the factors that are actually important to you.