Voices: Your perfect college doesn't need to be perfect

When Kwasi Enin applied to all eight Ivy League colleges — a feat in and of itself — he seemed overly ambitious and unrealistic.

Then as all eight acceptance letters arrived at his doorstep, he became national news.

The choice of where he wants to attend college is now in his hands and it's a choice that few students will ever get. It's also one that I am sure makes even the smartest member of his graduating class a little jealous.

A jealousy that is founded, sure, but not only for the reason you may think.

Being accepted to eight institutions with such prestige and selectivity is impressive — that's undeniable — but what I find most impressive is that fact that he can choose at all.

Enin has options to weigh. He can find which one fits the best and which doesn't. That is truly remarkable.

As my World Religions teacher would tell my high school senior class throughout our college application process, there is more than one school that will fit each of us.

Even more importantly, there are many more than eight.

It is easy for students, myself included, to get caught up in the superficialities of a college. When those schools with higher rankings and established reputations get a lauded more than others, you can miss what's important: Finding a university perfect for you, not the perfect university.

When I chose The George Washington University in Washington D.C., I was convinced it was my perfect fit of the 10 colleges to which I was accepted.

It checked all the boxes: Big city, a journalism program, a strong student community and, yes, I can't deny it had a good reputation, but what I have learned in almost four years at GW is more priceless than what its Princeton Review ranking is.

In fact, during my time we were unranked.

That's right, struck completely from consideration for the prestigious Princeton Review list of the best colleges in the United States. We went from number 50 to nothing overnight and that was shocking.

Yet despite losing a number, I learned what the school did not lose — it didn't lose why I chose GW in the first place.

I was still taking classes with professors who used their experiences to shape me as a journalist. Washington, D.C. was still Washington, D.C. and I still had my community.

Through and through, GW was still GW and even with its flaws, it was still the perfect place for me.

And trust me, there are no ivy leaves on our halls or single-digit acceptance rates to tout on our brochures, but that's OK.

I found my perfect university, not the perfect one. And that's what matters.

As deposit deadlines draw near, it is important for students to remember to celebrate all their acceptances, even beyond those eight and find their best fit.

You don't need to make a national headline to be happy with your decision.

Ryan Carey-Mahoney is a senior at The George Washington University. He will graduate next month.