How I Found the Right Match

Najee Hassell
University of St. Thomas
Her Approach: A transplant from Arkansas (her parents still live there), Hassell was a junior attending Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis when she started researching and visiting schools. By March of her senior year, she had applied to St. Thomas, Hamline University, University of Minnesota, Central College, Jackson State University, University of Memphis, Clark Atlanta University, and Southwest Minnesota State University. She was admitted to all, but by May had decided on St. Thomas.

Considerations: Class size, location, majors, and scholarship opportunities were factors. Hassell originally saw herself in a premed program (she’s now deciding between nursing and a business major), so finding schools with this option was important. Also, St. Thomas offered a four-year scholarship that pays for all of her tuition. A $500 scholarship from the YMCA, financial aid (including a $900 loan), on-campus jobs at Scooters and The Grill, and a seasonal job at Marshall Fields help cover her other expenses.

Essential Resource: Admission Possible, a program that helps low-income students with their college search, was Hassell’s lifeline. They helped her fill out applications, navigate the financial aid and scholarship paper trail, organize campus visits, and practice for the ACT. “Without them I wouldn’t be where I’m at,” she says.

Dan Sederstrom
University of Minnesota–Twin Cities
His Approach: It was easy for Sederstrom to quickly narrow down a list of colleges—only those schools with an architecture major made the cut. He considered Iowa State University and Arizona State University, but by October of his senior year at Rosemount High School, he knew the University of Minnesota was where he’d go. “The U of M just fits me well. After visiting friends at different colleges, I can’t picture myself at any other place.”

Considerations: He liked that the U of M would put him far enough away from home in Inver Grove Heights, but not too far. Also, he liked the mix of students and the big-city feel of the urban campus. “There are so many different kinds of people here; it’s very welcoming. There’s a lot to learn education-wise, but there’s also a lot of things you can learn about people.”

What Dad Had to Say: Dad Leonard was most worried about being able to pay for the school that his son selected. As it turns out, Sederstrom’s scholarship from the U pays for $2,000 a year; a handful of scholarships from outside groups also help defray costs.