Tip Sheet

A Key Factor in the College Search: Your Learning Style

By Robert J. Massa
Robert Massa

Dr. Massa is the vice president for communications at Lafayette College in Easton, Pa. He is a former dean of admissions and enrollment at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and a former vice president for enrollment and college relations at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa.

When I speak with high school students and when I read press reports of the angst surrounding college admission, I sigh with an insider’s knowledge. I have worked in and around college admissions for almost 40 years. Parents and students need not be overly nervous about the college admission process unless the student decides to apply to a college for the wrong reason — because it’s “hard to get in,” or because everyone will be impressed.

What constitutes a more appropriate reason to apply?

Applicants may well achieve some degree of serenity by asking themselves — or permitting their families or teachers or friends to ask them — a question that is so obvious yet often overlooked: What is your learning style?

While there are several good inventories online that can help students understand how they learn best (see, for example, www.learning-styles-online.com/), high school students can also fashion such a questionnaire for themselves. What they discover in the process can then inform them as they set about identifying colleges and universities that might best match their learning needs..

Here are some good starter questions to prime that pump:

  1. How Do You Learn Best?

    Are you an independent learner or do you need direction? Do you prefer to work alone or in teams? Who was your favorite teacher and why? Do you feel you learn best in big settings, like lecture halls, or smaller venues, like seminar rooms?

  2. How Do You Interact With Others?

    Are you an initiator or a follower? What causes stress in your life and what results in enjoyment and productivity? Are you open and tolerant of differences, or do you prefer to be with people like you?

  3. What Are Your General Objectives?

    You don’t have to know what you want to major in, or even what you want to do after college. But you should know what you enjoy learning about.

Answers to these three simple questions will help you understand yourself, and represent the first step in selecting the right college application set.

Once you understand yourself, it is important to find out how colleges approach teaching and learning in and out of the classroom.

So how do you cut through the college marketing clutter to discover this important characteristic?

  • Avoid ‘Shortcut Sources’

    Never rely exclusively on one source, particularly shortcut sources such as rankings, guidebooks, and popular college review Web sites.

  • Drill Down Into the College Web Site

    Glean all of the information you can from the main levels of the college’s Web site, but to really discover a college’s personality, drill down to the academic and social departmental level. Learn what the faculty members are doing in their classes and what projects they assign to students. And learn about how students run their own organizations by visiting the actual Web sites of those organizations.

  • Contact the College

    After searching the college’s Web site, e-mail some faculty members and students who are doing things that interest you. Also use e-mail to contact your regional (or academic major area) admissions representative and introduce yourself by asking a well-researched question.

  • Follow Along Online

    Follow events on campus and what students and prospective students are saying about the college, its programs and its people by reading the student newspaper online and experiencing the college through Facebook.

  • Visit the Campus

    Once you have done your homework, visit. Stay overnight, talk with students about their experiences, speak with faculty about what they expect from their students and how they involve students in their work, and of course, speak with your admissions counselor.

    • The college selection process does not have to be stressful if you focus on what is really important, embarking on a fearless path of self-discovery and a probing assessment of institutional characteristics. Once you have done this well, your application set will not only make sense, but you will find that your choices in April are broader and more acceptable than you would ever have imagined.

    We’d like to continue the discussion with you. If you have more tips about using a student’s learning style to find a college match, please share them in the comments box below.

    Comments are no longer being accepted.

    Louis Schmier November 19, 2012 · 7:57 am

    The research has shown there are no hot-wired learning styles; no ways of learning best. There are learning habits. And, habits learned can be unlearned. Besides, that’s the definition of an education: a process of unlearning.

    Redpoint November 19, 2012 · 8:02 am

    I’m not denying the truth about what you have written, but it frustrates me, as a parent to no end.

    Do you really think a high school junior or senior has time for such extensive research? They would have to do this for several colleges.

    I’m sure you are aware of how utterly over extended and exhausted many students are these days. My junior is taking five college-level classes, some of which (math, science) are incredibly hard. With the APs, SAT classes, commuting (my NYC public school kid does 2 hours a day!), ECs, eating and sleeping, she doesn’t have the extra energy to do an in depth research like this on a college. This isn’t a minor task. This kind of information isn’t readily available, and it’s pretty subjective also–it depends on who you speak to.

    “Oh, just do an extensive research project on top of all your other stresses.” Please. It would be great advice in a perfect world.

    And if the parent does this research everyone will call her an over-involved helicopter parent.

    Mom November 19, 2012 · 8:20 am

    Good article on picking a college or program.

    Susie Watts November 19, 2012 · 11:41 am

    I think a student’s learning style can be a big factor in deciding whether a large school with lectures as the main form of teaching would be appropriate or if a student would prefer a small school where discussion in small groups is more the norm. I give my students a very short questionnaire to fill out when we begin choosing colleges and their learning style becomes apparent quite quickly.

    Jane November 19, 2012 · 11:56 am

    Redpoint, there’s always the summer after junior year for researching colleges.

    Louis Schmier, you took the words out of my mouth! It’s time the canard of learning styles were put to rest! See this:

    //www.danielwillingham.com/learning-styles-faq.html

    Been There November 19, 2012 · 12:13 pm

    Some decades ago, I attended a liberal arts college where I was very well educated but had to attend post-graduate professional school to get a job in a desirable career.

    My children attended liberal arts colleges. One graduated before the crash and quickly enough was able to find a position on the career path he desired. The other graduated immediately after the crash and had to attend graduate school to get any job outside of commission sales and retail.

    The United States is rapidly devolving into a state of corporate feudalism, wherein a handful of hereditary plutocrats will be ruling masses of financial and political serfs.

    If my children were looking at colleges today, I would advise them to forget about the academics entirely and focus all their efforts on finding an institution where they will best able to make connections with the elite heirs and heiresses of America’s future. Better yet, I would urge them to attend university abroad and emigrate.

    Kevin Stevens November 19, 2012 · 12:18 pm

    I’m more than a little distressed that someone in education and who should know better is talking about the discredited notion of learning styles. It is past-time for this feel-good pablum to be tossed in the dustbin of history.

    dc November 19, 2012 · 12:20 pm

    Sometimes i think these academics are deliberately obtuse rather than just clueless….the VAST majority of kids attending colleges in the United States could care less about the quality of teaching or stye of class presentation, – for guys its all about the sports teams, gym facilities, access to liquor, frat scene, dorms and food, and how hot the girls are….for girls its all about access to restaurants and clothing stores , dorms, salad bars, and how hot the guys are. students will get engaged and purposeful about their studies only when they have to, and not when society and their parents, and the tax code, subsidize universities while we pay the price of raising immature, sheltered, and spoiled kids.

    Vp November 19, 2012 · 12:38 pm

    Read The One World Schoolhouse by Salman Kahn and check out the Kahn Academy. You will rethink learning and college altogether. It is the future of learning!

    Linda S. November 19, 2012 · 12:47 pm

    @ Redpoint,
    “My junior is taking five college-level classes, some of which (math, science) are incredibly hard. With the APs, SAT classes, commuting (my NYC public school kid does 2 hours a day!), ECs”
    This in insane. You should watch “Race to Nowhere” and then George Carlin’s “The American Dream.”
    If your kid is taking “college” level classes, then he/she should be mature enough to be researching colleges. What happened to “high school” level classes anyway? I don’t understand what happend to kids going to “HIGH SCHOOL” not “college” at 16 (unless they are prodigies or truly gifted.)

    Brooke Magid Hart November 19, 2012 · 12:59 pm

    Redpoint, There is plenty of time for your student to do this level of research, but it means prioritizing and planning. Students should not be starting the college search process their junior or senior year. It is, indeed, a process and should be handled over the course of all four years of high school. I would think that any student or parent shelling out the kind of money that college costs would want to be sure that the fit was as perfect as could be anticipated. Time spent researching is often money saved. Look at how many kids don’t do that research and then drop out or transfer (often losing credits and time) because they picked the wrong school.

    sadie November 19, 2012 · 12:59 pm

    I don’t think learning style is the main aspect of “fit” when it comes to college. I think it’s a combination of practical issues – Whether your kid is a good enough student to do the work at a particular college, and whether the school teaches classes in your kid’s area (s) of interest. And you should be able to afford it and your kid should feel like they would enjoy spending 4 years there. You know, does your kid want to go greek or join an eco-coop. Or both. It isn’t too hard to figure out. It does require a little research, but I don’t think it’s a problem if the parent does that, so long as your kid is willing to rely on the parents judgement.

    RH November 19, 2012 · 1:13 pm

    If your child is applying to college, you may not be able to read all of the information about the schools but there are certain things that you better know:

    Who will advise your child? What is the advising system for incoming and upperclass students?

    Is there a good campus or nearby medical facility for your child? Is professional counseling readily available for your child?

    How large are the classes for first year students? Who teaches them?

    Is the school going to provide a comfortable social environment for your child? Should he or she be considering a small liberal arts college, a research university or community college? Are you sending your child to a place where she or he can make friends and share interests with others?

    What is the crime rate at the school? The campus police can provide you with information on robberies, sexual assaults, substance abuse issues etc?

    You should plan to visit some of the schools. Look around and do not just take the tour. Talk with students about their living experiences. Who can they talk with if they are lonely or homesick? If you do not have the time or money to travel, look at some schools that are nearby and find out what your child likes or dislikes about them. That will give you some insights.

    Read the student newspapers that are usually posted online. You will discover more about the campus life.

    If your child doesn’t feel comfortable at the school when you visit, do not force him or her to go because it is the best one or the most prestigious. Students do best at the places where they feel invested in the experience. Remember that a person can transfer if her or his grades are reasonably good.

    Stephen J November 19, 2012 · 1:19 pm

    Leave aside the bit about “learning styles” (for there is no evidence supporting the validity of this popular notion), and what remains is very sensible advice. Look into the schools you might want to go to, and choose one that you fall in love with. If you like the people and what they’re doing and you like the physical place and its environs, you’ll be happier and probably more successful.

    And poor redpoint! Who doesn’t have time to do some research into such a momentous decision as: Where will I live and work and socialize for the next 4 years?

    Sanford Franzblau November 19, 2012 · 1:24 pm

    Some guidance in how to “drill down” in college websites to a level that shows teaching style and syllabus would be very helpful. Perhaps an example college site and drilling guide.

    Morgan Cooper November 19, 2012 · 1:29 pm

    Learning styles themselves have not been discredited, only general categories such as visual or auditory learners. We most certainly have different styles, with people who excel at independent study excelling at certain places while others who prefer more face-to-face contact with professors excelling at other schools. This is such badly needed advice!

    Howard November 19, 2012 · 1:43 pm

    It’s just as well that all prospective students at hard-to-get-in colleges don’t email professors to find out what they’re doing. What they are NOT doing is answering ten thousand emails from people they don’t know.
    You can get a good education at a wide variety of schools, preferably those you can actually get admitted to.
    Deciding whether you like the idea of a large university or a small college isn’t rocket science. Deciding whether you want to go to school in the Northeast or the South isn’t rocket science either.
    The amount of money colleges spend in marketing themselves would be better spent on education, but the colleges can’t stop doing the “we are marginally better than other colleges just like us” bit unless students and their families stop responding to such minor differences. Our upper middle classes are obsessed with such minor differences and this is distorting the whole educational process. Enough!

    Maxene Fabe Mulford November 19, 2012 · 1:44 pm

    Those who are caviling about the literal, “dated”? l meaning of “learning style” are missing the true focus of Dr. Massa’s excellent observations. That is for applicants to undertake a “probing assessment” of each college to which they are applying and determine whether that school meets his or her own needs – before relinquishing all those $75 application fees.

    To Dr. Massa’s student-empowering list I would add the following:

    1) “The National Survey of Student Engagement’s Pocket Guide to Choosing A College: Questions to ask on your college visits,” which you can download onto your smart phone by scanning the barcode here: //nsse.iub.edu/html/students_parents.cfm.

    2) btw, on those visits, use your smart phone to record your answers; they’ll come in handy when it comes time to write those “perfect match” supplement essays.

    3) The NSSE site can also direct you to //www.collegeportraits.org/ for academic assessments of college without bogus rankings.

    4) Other interesting places to look on a college website:
    • To learn about crime statistics on a given campus, visitwww.ope.ed.gov/security, a government research site which documents all anti-social incidents by type at 3,000 schools;
    • At the Student Health section of a college website, see how each school is handling binge drinking, bulimia, abusive relationships, and depression;
    • Under Long-Range Planning, discover what heavy campus construction projects you’ll have to live with;
    • At Human Resources, check out faculty issues: how many job vacancies there are among the deans.

    In other words, if you’re really smart enough to go to college, look beyond the manicured campus and the college’s prestigious name; your learning style should become “detective.”

    J H Peterson November 19, 2012 · 2:01 pm

    Based on my experiences, I think that learning style is a most appropriate consideration in choosing a college.
    More than a generation I went to one of the more demanding engineering schools. I took the most difficult courses and quickly discovered that I learned little from lectures.
    While I had gone to public schools, up to that point nearly everything I had learned was self-taught, or, in my early years, seated at the feet of my grandfather, a former educator.
    College was a revelation and I soon dreaded the lecture halls. My favorite classes, and the ones in which I did best, were always those where I worked alone or in small groups.
    Your points confirm my own observations, Dr. Mazza. By the way, I nearly went to Hopkins. If only I had talked to you back then!

    Josh Hill November 19, 2012 · 2:20 pm

    “Discredited notion of learning styles”

    Discredited? By whom? I’d have to disagree — profoundly — on that. My own learning style was and is pronounced. And I have seen the same thing in others. I thrived in circumstances that would have been difficult for others, struggled in circumstances that would have been easy. And I know I’m not alone in this.

    Josh Hill November 19, 2012 · 2:23 pm

    “.the VAST majority of kids attending colleges in the United States could care less about the quality of teaching or stye of class presentation”

    Those who are denying the existence of learning styles should consider that. How about those of us who were genuinely interested in learning, and cared little for the other aspects of college life? The former might be well-suited by a party school with easy courses; the latter might want an academically-challenging research university with high-powered faculty and opportunities for research.

    Redpoint November 19, 2012 · 2:34 pm

    I didn’t say we weren’t going to research schools, for goodness sake. I’m saying that the level of research that the author suggests, down to figuring out if the professors teach in a way that jibes with my child’s “learning style” is a bit much. The recommendations given above in 13, for example, are good.

    Josh Hill November 19, 2012 · 2:40 pm

    “There are learning habits. And, habits learned can be unlearned.”

    But should they be? You seem to assume that everyone should have the same learning style. My own sense is that there’s a reason learning styles vary — they create a certain degree of natural specialization. As a strongly intuitive thinker, for example, I grasp concepts instantly and have essentially no learning curve. This suits me beautifully to some tasks and occupations, but not to others. For example, I hate learning foreign languages, because there is too much in them that can’t be reduced to principle, and must instead be memorized. Whereas someone whose style is sensory would like thrive at a detail oriented task like the learning of a foreign language, and fail at one that requires understanding.

    The brain can’t be all things. If we bully kids out of their own learning styles, we may be damaging their potential even more than the current one-size-fits-all educational system does.

    Liz Dorland November 19, 2012 · 6:07 pm

    The author’s choice of the over-used and under-theorized phrase “Learning Styles” to make his point is indeed unfortunate.

    However, I suspect that he may be completely unaware of the specific “meaning” implied by the phrase as it is used in conversations about modes of teaching. Also unfortunate.

    Dr. Erica Warren November 19, 2012 · 10:17 pm

    I am a learning specialist and educational therapist and use the Eclectic Learning Profile to assess my students learning styles or what I like to call, ways of processing information. Uncovering these profiles is key in my line of work. By working in a students preferred modality, I can quickly connect with them. Once they trust me, I can show them other ways of encoding too. In my initial consultation with families, I also assess my student’s parents so they can learn to step out of their ways of learning and empower their child’s unique ways of processing. It’s always a fun session and family members quickly gain empathy for the diversity they experience at home.