College Corner: Ripon College and Carroll University
by Madalyn thompson
In more cases than not in our future years outside of being Craig students we will quickly go off to bigger grander schools and begin learning more there. A fine thing called going off to college and learning to be an adult along with exactly what you want to be when we grow up.
Let’s face it though, that a question we’ve been asked sense we were five years old, and each time it gets harder and harder to answer. At least when we were five we didn’t know being a princess or cowboy just wasn’t a real option.
Anyway, the years that come with being a high schooler are fulfilled with that exact question being asked on a pointless loop, because let's face it, most of aren’t going to know what we’re going to do when we grown up until we're halfway into our fifties. In my case maybe sixties. In all honesty it’s probably easier asking what don’t you want to be, because it can be well determined there is at least one subject or class that interests you just as much as watching paint dry.
However, before we can really get that ball rolling into our inevitable future that comes with growing up; unless of course your some sort of Peter Pan, and in that case I’ll take a one way ticket to Neverland. Because who wouldn’t love staying young forever and never having to worry about taxes or mortgage? Nonetheless, I’m pretty sure such things don’t exist so we’re stuck in our dreary old ordinary lives that for the majority of our time will at one point consist of thing called searching for colleges.
Well never fear, because the Craig Criterion has you covered. Well mostly. We can’t pick the college for you, and we certainly can’t pay for it… sadly.
But what we can do is help you learn more about these colleges and help narrow down both the search and stress of doing it yourself.
The past few weeks I’ve gotten the chance to actually tour some of these colleges and in many ways was pleasantly surprised about what my future may hold for me.
My first stop on my college search was a small private college called Ripon, in a even smaller town of Ripon Wisconsin. With their biggest shopping center being Kmart, but consisting of a very unique and rather beautifully pleasant downtown area that of course only stretched out for a few blocks or so but was neat nonetheless.
Now you may be wondering, what could this tiny, in the middle of nowhere college offer you. The answer is simple, they have something completely revolutionary called the Catalyst Program. A program, that in simple terms means you don’t have to take those core classes that have absolutely nothing to do with what you want to go into.
Meaning if you plan on becoming a english teacher, and absolutely despise math you don’t have to take an actual math class. Instead you take mandatory classes that will come in handy no matter your major or future career. Classes such a communication, writing, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and interdisciplinary integration. Therefore leaving enough room to really pursue your future career, but also giving way to possibly putting forth a second minor or major to go along with it.
I can easily say that the Catalyst program was the main reason I toured Ripon college, but in the end it wasn’t the only reason I’ve decided to keep the university on my list and continue to research more about it.
It’s small, but contains a lot of character, that also makes it feel rather homey. A place where you could easily learn everyone's name and quickly build some long last relationships to go along with it.
Let’s face it though, that a question we’ve been asked sense we were five years old, and each time it gets harder and harder to answer. At least when we were five we didn’t know being a princess or cowboy just wasn’t a real option.
Anyway, the years that come with being a high schooler are fulfilled with that exact question being asked on a pointless loop, because let's face it, most of aren’t going to know what we’re going to do when we grown up until we're halfway into our fifties. In my case maybe sixties. In all honesty it’s probably easier asking what don’t you want to be, because it can be well determined there is at least one subject or class that interests you just as much as watching paint dry.
However, before we can really get that ball rolling into our inevitable future that comes with growing up; unless of course your some sort of Peter Pan, and in that case I’ll take a one way ticket to Neverland. Because who wouldn’t love staying young forever and never having to worry about taxes or mortgage? Nonetheless, I’m pretty sure such things don’t exist so we’re stuck in our dreary old ordinary lives that for the majority of our time will at one point consist of thing called searching for colleges.
Well never fear, because the Craig Criterion has you covered. Well mostly. We can’t pick the college for you, and we certainly can’t pay for it… sadly.
But what we can do is help you learn more about these colleges and help narrow down both the search and stress of doing it yourself.
The past few weeks I’ve gotten the chance to actually tour some of these colleges and in many ways was pleasantly surprised about what my future may hold for me.
My first stop on my college search was a small private college called Ripon, in a even smaller town of Ripon Wisconsin. With their biggest shopping center being Kmart, but consisting of a very unique and rather beautifully pleasant downtown area that of course only stretched out for a few blocks or so but was neat nonetheless.
Now you may be wondering, what could this tiny, in the middle of nowhere college offer you. The answer is simple, they have something completely revolutionary called the Catalyst Program. A program, that in simple terms means you don’t have to take those core classes that have absolutely nothing to do with what you want to go into.
Meaning if you plan on becoming a english teacher, and absolutely despise math you don’t have to take an actual math class. Instead you take mandatory classes that will come in handy no matter your major or future career. Classes such a communication, writing, critical thinking, quantitative reasoning, and interdisciplinary integration. Therefore leaving enough room to really pursue your future career, but also giving way to possibly putting forth a second minor or major to go along with it.
I can easily say that the Catalyst program was the main reason I toured Ripon college, but in the end it wasn’t the only reason I’ve decided to keep the university on my list and continue to research more about it.
It’s small, but contains a lot of character, that also makes it feel rather homey. A place where you could easily learn everyone's name and quickly build some long last relationships to go along with it.
The second college I visited was Carroll University, which I have easily decided is my number one choice for colleges.
Carroll is bigger than Ripon, but still relatively small compared to most colleges in the area such as Milwaukee. It’s full of history that proteins distinctly to its old buildings, but I have also never seen so much character come along with such a thing.
With an outward appearance that goes back almost one hundred years, and yet the moment you walk into the building itself it is filled with the newest sort of equipment in every field imaginable, and surrounded with the kindest people to show you the way.
At Carroll the administrators are with you every step of the way making sure you are in the correct classes and that you truly want to go into the profession your spending so much time and effort learning.
It comes with a town quite a bit bigger than Janesville, but is still very clean with a thousand things to see and explore. With almost everything in walking distance along with major cities not but two hours away such as Madison and Chicago.
All in all it felt like home. A place where I could truly flower from and learn exactly what I wish to do with the rest of my life and possibly even make a difference.
Both colleges will stay in my pocket as I continue searching others in hopes to find my perfect fit, and both have left me reeling with possibilities that could very easily envelop my future.
Therefore both are worth, I believe, for any curious student looking for their future college as I am, and with that I wish you the best of luck on your college adventure, and deeply hope you find the place for you.
Carroll is bigger than Ripon, but still relatively small compared to most colleges in the area such as Milwaukee. It’s full of history that proteins distinctly to its old buildings, but I have also never seen so much character come along with such a thing.
With an outward appearance that goes back almost one hundred years, and yet the moment you walk into the building itself it is filled with the newest sort of equipment in every field imaginable, and surrounded with the kindest people to show you the way.
At Carroll the administrators are with you every step of the way making sure you are in the correct classes and that you truly want to go into the profession your spending so much time and effort learning.
It comes with a town quite a bit bigger than Janesville, but is still very clean with a thousand things to see and explore. With almost everything in walking distance along with major cities not but two hours away such as Madison and Chicago.
All in all it felt like home. A place where I could truly flower from and learn exactly what I wish to do with the rest of my life and possibly even make a difference.
Both colleges will stay in my pocket as I continue searching others in hopes to find my perfect fit, and both have left me reeling with possibilities that could very easily envelop my future.
Therefore both are worth, I believe, for any curious student looking for their future college as I am, and with that I wish you the best of luck on your college adventure, and deeply hope you find the place for you.