Deciding to continue debate, selecting the most appropriate
program, and knowing which college or university to attend are among the most
difficult decisions facing high school students following graduation. Far too often these important decisions are
also the least informed. While there exists no magic formula for selecting a college or debate
program, the following observations are offered to provide some guidelines for
approaching these decisions.
After completing a rigorous high school academic and debate career
many have serious hesitations about pursuing debate in college. It is fair to note that college debate is not
for everyone. College provides a
cornucopia of opportunities and closing off those chances should be examined
carefully. Too often, however, high
school seniors prematurely decide to “wait to get involved” until they first
master their class work. Delaying
participation sounds prudent but this strategy is not always the best
approach. The rewards in college more
often go to those who do get involved.
Staying “too busy” is often the formula for accomplishing more than your
peers.
The most common question I am asked by incoming college freshmen is
HOW MUCH TIME WILL COLLEGE DEBATE TAKE?
The glib answer, of course, is too much.
Most college activities are more specialized and make greater demands on
your time. It is important to remember,
however, that the level of commitment required to succeed in college
activities, in turn, provides the very highest rewards. The bottom line is that compared to the
“ordinary low-intensity student,” those who pursue some area of excellence
utilize their “time” in ways that are forever memorable. Debaters who “sacrifice” the time are
rewarded with intense friendships forged through competition (local and
national), ability to handle pressures comparable to the most challenging jobs,
and academic skills heads and shoulders above their peers. Not a bad payoff for an activity that
participants generally love anyway.
In addition to time commitments many incoming freshman express
hesitations about their own abilities to succeed. Importantly, college debate is not just for
the “stars” of the high school circuit.
A prevalent myth which says “only the best need apply” is empirically
denied every year. The ranks of college
debate are filled with competitors whose high school careers were average and
those who competed in programs with limited opportunities. On occasion, top college speakers have not
even participated in debate until college.
The great equalizers are determination, tenacity, and maturity. One should never decide out-of-hand that they
cannot make it in college debate. If you
are genuinely interested there are opportunities to match your enthusiasm.
If you are interested in debating in college or simply want to
learn more about potential programs how can you go about learning which
programs exist and what they are really like?
The following guidelines may help sort out the available information and
misinformation.
What college debate program might be best for you? There exists a myth among high school
students that there are only a half dozen or so
programs to consider if one is serious about college debate. In reality there are scores of programs which
exist that provide quality opportunities to compete in college debate. Not every program is for everyone (regardless
of what college recruiters may tell you).
Programs have personalities. By
this I mean they offer a variety of philosophies and opportunities. Depending on your goals there are traditional
(NDT/CEDA) and parliamentary debate programs, private and public schools,
regional and national programs. Each
option has a number of benefits and should not be rejected out-of-hand simply
for cursory reasons (e.g., prestige). Do
not overlook programs that can provide you with the greatest opportunities to
debate. Surprisingly, these are not
always the “name schools.” The real
questions are what kind of education, at what price tag, with what kind of
environment can you expect?
It is usually worth finding time to visit the campus. Plan enough time (usually a weekend) so that
you can get a genuine feel for the debaters and coaches. Ask to room with and active debater or even
attend a squad meeting. It helps if you
can call ahead to see if your visit is convenient for the host team (remember
that they have busy travel schedules too).
Additionally most programs now have Web Pages that outline the
opportunities offered by their school and squad. Typically these electronic addresses can be
found with popular search engines, looking at collections of debate links on
several homepages, or by placing a phone call to the program director.
The cardinal rule in learning about programs is to LET THEM KNOW
YOU ARE INTERESTED! While it is
undoubtedly personally gratifying to be actively recruited by a college debate
program most debaters do not receive this personal attention. You should never conclude that a program is
uninterested in you just because they do not initiate contact. Most college coaches are busy with their own
programs and attend few high school tournaments. In many instances their “lack of interest” is
nothing more than that they do not know you are interested. How, then, can you get the attention of
college directors? What follows are
some hints on making contact with college programs.
1. When you write the college admission office, enclose a separate
letter to be forwarded to the college debate coach. This will let the program know you are
interested in learning more about their program and introduces yourself. This strategy may be your best way to
initiate contact, particularly in those instances when you do not know the name
of the college coach.
2. Make some phone calls.
Most colleges and universities have an information desk which can
provide the appropriate numbers and addresses.
And then you can directly contact the coach.
3. Find an e-mail address.
Most homepages have e-mail addresses not only for the staff, but often
for all the squad members at a given school.
4. Ask people who know.
Most college debaters and coaches are happy to provide the names and
thumbnail sketches of a variety of programs.
Most individuals associated with active programs can provide the
addresses and phone numbers of several contacts, and are willing to do this
even if you may not be interested in their program.
5. Contact several programs.
Comparing and contrasting a variety of programs allows you to make
independent judgements about the quality of a program
and how well it fits your needs.
Once you have made contact with college programs, it is still
important to investigate these programs.
The following questions help sort out the barrage of well
intentioned positive claims made by programs.
1. What is the college’s support for the debate program? Actual support in travel opportunities and
long-term traditions at the school speak much louder than vague promises by the
debate coach indicating, for example, how it “may be possible in the near
future” to drum up support. Programs
which have a strong tradition in the university are more likely to have solid
futures, withstand coach changes, and attract potential partners/debaters. Obviously there are always "exceptions
to the rule" as program success are personnel
sensitive.
2. Where did you travel last year?
While it is natural for programs to (over) claim their own success, it
is legitimate for you to ask the director to provide specifics. Most programs can provide information as to
where the team competed and who got to go on those trips. It is also important to not only know where
the “top team” traveled but what opportunities were provided for other students
in the program. Every year I talk to
students who have been told amazing stories extolling particular program’s
travel and competitive prowess, yet they do not seem to be at many
tournaments. Ask for the evidence!
3. What kind of support is offered to the debaters? Programs differ in the amount of support they
can provide their debaters. It should
come as no surprise that programs have wide discrepancies in what they provide
for participants (travel expenses, supplies, copy services, etc.). Although these extras should not be a major
decisional factor it is fair to check out what extra expenses you can
expect. One should be careful, however,
not to confuse the “extras” with provisions for adequate educational
opportunities, coaching, and competition opportunities.
4. Who coaches? Selecting a
debate program is much like picking the best professors for a class. If a program, is
active, debaters can expect to spend a lot of time with the coaching
staff. Travel, practice, and preparation
time is NOT a minor part of your college education. It is probably worth the effort to check out
the persons with whom you will be working.
The best sources are often debaters presently in the program or coaches
who have observed the program over the years and know the track record. Do not be shy in seeking out
unbiased/knowledgeable opinions.
5. What financial aid is available? The availability of many and lucrative
college scholarships for debate is undoubtedly overestimated. Debaters (and their parents) often assume
that high school debate is a ticket to financing college. This financial bonanza usually is not the
case; at least directly. Many programs
do offer some help, generally ranging from tuition waivers at public
institutions (in-state) to partial tuition waivers at private institutions. There are a few schools in the higher cost
range which offer one or two full scholarships.
Applicants need to be aggressive in finding those unique scholarships
which are established to recognize special talents (e.g., debate.) There is, of course, no substitute for proven
academic accomplishments. The best
schools engage in serious competition for the top students and are willing pay
big bucks to attract them to their campus.
Remember that when students have good board scores and rank high in
their class there are scholarships available for those who investigate the
opportunities and apply early. Most
special category scholarships also have application deadlines which occur prior
to normal admissions. It is not uncommon
for deadlines for major scholarships to be in November and December. It is increasingly the case that you can no
longer wait until after Christmas anymore to start the process. Most college coaches are familiar with the
special categories at their schools, so do not hesitate to ask.
Every director
is understandably proud of his or her program.
There is no doubt that the vast majority of individuals coaching in
college today are motivated to help students find their best personal
opportunities. The recruiter’s natural
enthusiasm for attracting students to debate at their school, however, requires
that you develop a critical ability to sort through the embellishments that
come your way. This section alerts you
to some of the reservations to keep in mind when investigating a program.
1. Over promising. Be suspect of programs which promise too
much. Programs are dynamic; they change
in ways that are often unanticipated by the staff or current debaters. When you are offered guarantees of team
position or selected partners, for example, recognize that come fall term this
may change. The one thing you can pretty
well count on is that things will not unfold as you might expect (sometimes for
the worst, more often for the better.)
About all a program, can honestly promise is that they have a commitment
to debate and there will be others with whom you can debate.
2. Seeking independent
confirmations. In the process of
gathering information on programs you will undoubtedly encounter some
information which is less than favorable about rival programs. Instead of accepting one opinion, which you
would not do for other important decisions, get a second or third opinion. Far too often the reasons for rejecting one
program over another are based on rumors and insinuation. These “facts” are usually only a perspective
and are often “false.” The best, and
most ethical tact, is to ask the “maligned” school about their
perspective. Minimally, it is important
to actively seek the opinion of several unbiased observers.
3. Choose for you. College decisions are often based on little
more than “that’s where my friends are going” or “all the cool
debaters are going there.” Before you are pressured into attending a
college which does not provide you with the best opportunities reflect on why
you are making that decision. It makes
sense to find an environment where you can develop your own identity. Strangers become friends in a minimum of
time. Obligations imposed by history,
peer pressure, geography, or whatever are increasingly less persuasive criteria
in an age of e-mail, telephones, and jet planes.
4. “I cannot afford
it.” In many instances students are
discouraged from applying to certain schools because they appear to be too
costly. Similarly, some fall into the
trap of thinking that “if it is expensive it must be good.” Either conclusion may stop you from attending
a college which is better for your needs.
It is often a mistake to rule out a college simply based on cost. Most reputable institutions, once a student
is accepted, make a genuine attempt to make it possible for them to attend. Financial aid, tuition waivers, and grants
often make the “more expensive” school accessible. The advice offered here is, apply where you want to go, seek
financial aid, and then assess the “real” or “net” costs for each
institution. The results may surprise
you. In addition, one should be cautious
when concluding that increased cost is directly correlated with increased
worth. In many instances, specific
curriculum, quality of the debate program, and personal intangibles correlate
better with your desires.
5. Avoid unfair
pressure. In choosing a college or
university applicants have considerable and often unrecognized rights. Universities are notorious in trying to place
obligations on students to attend even thou you have the right to change your
mind. “Early decision” obligations, for
example, do not mean that you cannot later change for a better
opportunity. Debate coaches can
sometimes fall into this pattern when they say, for example, “I need a
commitment that you will attend my school before I can influence
admissions."” Both parties, the coach/institution
and yourself should, of course, act in good faith, but exacting promises for
their help is suspect. The responsible
coach will try to help you and convince you to attend his or her school based
on the institution’s merits.
Debating can
be one of the most rewarding experiences you are likely to encounter in
college. If you have found your high
school competition to be rewarding on any number of levels (social, knowledge,
skills, excitement, etc.), you can expect the college experience to exceed your
expectations. Each year I have contact
with dozens of alumni, many of whom are well established in successful careers. I am continually struck with the nearly
universal sentiment that: “debate was
the most rewarding experience of my college career.” Take control of your own future and intelligently
investigate the opportunities that college debate offers.