Video – Why College?
Some students have developed deeply-held reasons for wanting to go to college. The first video, profiles what students imagine college to be like and how they are inspired by parents, or self-motivated to attend college.
The second video profiles students from challenging backgrounds and circumstances. Their school and stories are strikingly different from those portrayed in the first video.
The third video profiles a program chosen by two of our students (Mikayla Hanna, 2015 Gates Millennium Scholar, and Samuel Patterson (2017)) who were intentional in identifying a specific type of college program, like the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, that would support their aspirations beyond simply receiving an undergraduate degree to pursuing PhDs.
You must decide if you will talk about college on a surface level, like going to the County Fair, e.g., “I am going to the Fair.” Or if you will engage in research about college in a manner as to say, “I want to be selected to the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland-Baltimore County, because I want to pursue an undergraduate degree in biology and a PhD in scientific research.”
After viewing the videos, engage in a group discussion, or self-reflection about your reasons for wanting to go to college.
Focus your discussion around the following 2 topics:
- Considering the comments made by students regarding their reasons for wanting to go to college, how would you respond to the question, “Why do you want to go to college?”
- Are there any specialized programs (e.g., Meyerhoff Scholars, Center for Women in Technology, Richmond Scholars, or Stamps Scholars) that you have researched, and to which you have plans to apply?