Whether they started as college-student urban legends, misguided information from your roommates, or Hollywood stereotypes you’ve absorbed from watching Old School over and over and over, a lot of the supposed college “truths” you think you know have pretty much no basis in reality.

 

So to help you sort out college fact from fiction, here are five of the most common college myths and the reality behind them.

 

Myth #1: You go to college to get a good job and make good money.

 

Reality: It’s true that college graduates, on average, earn about twice as much a year as high school graduates. Going to college to eventually have a chance at a better job and higher pay makes perfect sense.

 

But college is also a time to venture out on new paths, find what makes you happy, and figure out who you are and who you want to be.

 

If you spend your college years focusing only on what you think is going to make you more “marketable” to recruiters, you might end up looking well-prepared on paper, but you’ll risk becoming passionless and generic. You’ll miss out on the eccentric professors, the unusual classes, the life-changing career paths you never considered.

 

You might even actually end up losing out on job interviews to candidates whose college career shows off their unique interests and personality.

 

So take that photography class. Spend a semester studying abroad in Tibet. Pursue what appeals to you, even if it’s not “practical,” and don’t be afraid to adjust your long-term game plan as you go along.

 

 

Myth #2: A stellar admissions essay is the secret to getting accepted.

 

Reality: While it’s true that a well-written, original essay can bolster a good application and help you stand out from the crowd, no essay, no matter how amazing, is a sure-fire magic bullet for getting that acceptance letter, especially if the rest of your application is subpar.

 

Here’s what Harvard’s previous director of admissions, Dr. Marlyn McGrath Lewis, had to say about the application essay in an article on Forbes.com a year ago: “We never base our decisions on essays. We read them carefully, but we understand how easily they can be purchased or written by anyone. They can certainly illuminate a case, but we’d be foolish to base our decisions on them.”

 

This isn’t to say your essay doesn’t carry some weight. But an outstanding essay won’t make up for an application that’s lacking in other essential areas, so make sure you’re putting your best foot forward across the board, not just in the essay section.

 

 

Myth #3: There’s one perfect college out there for me, I just need to find it.

 

Reality: The “perfect school” is a lot like the Fountain of Youth — often sought and yearned for, but never found. There’s almost never one “perfect” college for any applicant. Schools try to appeal to various groups of people, so it’s rare for any school to be a 100%-ideal match for any one particular person.

 

Instead of obsessing about finding that mythical perfect school, look for a handful of schools that best match up with your personality, interests, and career goals. Think long and hard about what you want out of a school, and make a list of must-haves and deal-breakers. Then choose the school that comes the closest to meeting what’s on your lists and to just feeling right.

 

 

Myth #4: A diploma from an Ivy League school means automatic success.

 

Reality: While no one’s going to knock a Yale or Harvard education, some of the brightest minds suggest it’s not the school that makes the student.

 

In other words, to paraphrase venture capitalist Paul Graham, perpetual slackers could end up getting next to nothing out of their high-profile Ivy League educations, while determined, inquisitive students can extract enormous value from a relatively uncelebrated public school.

 

The most important ingredient in your success is your own attitude and actions, not the recent ranking or academic celebrity status of your school.

 

 

Myth #5: It’s too late to get scholarships once you’re already in college.

 

Reality: Not true! Scholarships are available for both undergraduate and graduate students at any stage of their academic careers. In fact, some scholarships are reserved specifically for college students in their second, third, or fourth years; it’s just a matter of hunting them down and applying.

 

If you’re looking for college scholarships and grants, a great place to start is the Scholarship Search Engine, an online database that lists over 5.9 million scholarships worth over $16 billion and is absolutely free to use.

 

*Check back for  "5 College Myths Debunked - Part II" on Thursday Jan. 24th, 2008.