When first-year marketing student Connor began exploring colleges, he turned to College Raptor’s tools to help identify what mattered most to him. At the top of his list were campus resources, followed closely by cost.
Reflecting on his first priority, he explained, “Resources are so important because not only do they help prepare you for your next chapter after college, but they also help you build yourself and your personal character.”
Connor credits College Raptor’s College Match Tool for connecting him to the University of Rhode Island and helping him discover schools that offered the types of resources he valued most.
Academic support centers, campus health services, and career centers are essential parts of college life that can shape a student’s future. For Connor, college isn’t just about earning a degree, it’s an investment.
“When you have an investment, if you’re able to get resources from that investment, it just makes it so much more of a return,” he shared.
While resources topped Connor’s list, cost was not far behind. Managing college expenses largely on his own, he relied on College Raptor to compare and understand the true cost of each school.
“I utilized College Raptor to compare costs, not only does it let you compare, but you get to look deeper into what’s behind those numbers, like resources, internship opportunities, and readiness.”
The Financial Aid Comparison Tool was there to help Connor make the right financial decision.
College Raptor became a guiding hand, supporting Connor both academically and financially as he made one of the biggest decisions in his life. Now flourishing at URI, this marketing student continues to spread positivity and excitement for the future.
Looking back on his journey, Connor offers this advice to current high school seniors:
“Apply for as many scholarships as possible and use tools like College Raptor. It’s such a stressful time applying to colleges and managing costs, but tools like this make it so simple, it’s a no-brainer.”
