The Guilfordian

The Guilford College admissions Web site asks prospective students to "Take our Bulls-Eye survey to find out instantly if Guilford is really right for you." 

To judge the accuracy of this test, 25 current Guilford students and one faculty member took the survey for themselves, and compared their scores with their own opinions of Guilford.

These participants unanimously claimed that the best things prospective students can do to evaluate the school is to interact with members of the Guilford community.

 "I visited all the colleges I applied to, which really helped me make my decision," said sophomore Emma Graham. "There are a lot of people that I know who didn't visit their colleges, and they're disappointed with where they are." 

This test can be found online at http://www.guilford.edu/secure/bullseye/

Here is what the score means:

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Taryn Dawson-Sivalia, senior

Info: Senior

Score: 100

"It's useful for individuals who don't really have any idea what they want."

Name: Beth Tyson, senior

Senior

Score: 105

"I think it's useful for people who want to be really lazy and don't want to do research and just take a quiz to tell them where they need to go."

Kate Healy-Ghellar; First-year; cheerleading team's representative to the Student Athlete Advisory Committee

Score: 99

"Sweet. Does that mean I'm in the right place? Is that what it's saying?"

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Alex Brouse, Sophomore political science major

Score: 74

"I think it's strange because I really like it here; I absolutely love the place."

Oliver Scarborough, First-year psychology major; plays rugby

Score: 49

"I'm having a great time here. ... Overall, I think it does a decent job for some people, but not for me."

Meredith Nuby, First-year English major; enjoys extracurricular writing

Score: 118

"I think things like this, like having a test to see what college should should go to is sort of silly. I think you can, when you visit a place, know if it's right for you."

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Leon Odell, First-year psychology major; runs cross country

Score: 30

"I like it here, but it's a little boring, and I wish it were bigger."

Stefani Giglia, Junior education and psychology double major; enjoys hanging out with friends in small casual groups

Score: 54

"I love it here. I'm really offended. ... Do they keep this for when you apply to the school to see if you were compatible with the school? Because that would be really messed up."

"I think whenever you're applying to a college and you're fairly sure you want to go there, it's always important to come visit, and separate from your parents long enough to actually be there as yourself. Parents don't come with you to college."

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Sam Flake, First-year biology major

Score: 54

"It's not accurate at all. I think Guilford is a really good fit."

"It's just like taking the statistics of our class size and stuff, and rephrasing it as a question."

Maggie Schultz, Sophomore; enjoys small social gatherings

Score: 91

"I probably would've ignored it."

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Cy Appleby-Kellet, First-year physics major; enjoys small casual social gatherings.

Score: 56

"The test has all these generic questions that incorporates Guilford's goals but isn't really representative of what Guilford actually is."

"First thing I did was I walked into the cafeteria and I struck up a conversation with Bryce Bjornson. ... It totally swayed my decision."

Marshal Jeffries, Junior sociology major; president of the native american club

Score: 117

"They had a space on the last part, 'Multicultural Activities,' ... I think people would interpret that differently. I don't know if that means cultural song and dance things. ... I don't know if it actually addresses multicultural issues."

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Name:  Rania Campbell-Cobb, Senior environmental studies and sociology double major; co-clerk for the Quaker Leadership Scholars Program

Score: 115

"It seems like it does a pretty good job hitting the main points of what students are looking for when they're looking at colleges."

"What finally got me excited about Guilford was talking to people about the school."

Shepherd Lashley, Junior history and community and justice studies double major

Score: 76

"I thought it would ask more about student activities. I lost five points for picking 'Watching Division I Sports.'"

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Name:  Emma Graham, Sophomore English major; Quaker Leadership Scholar

Score: 104

"When I was in high school, I didn't really think about what college atmosphere I wanted, and I don't think until you get to college you really know what you want."

"I think just by taking a quiz and having it filter out answers is not the way to pick your college. I visited all the colleges I applied to, which really helped me make my decision. There are a lot of people that I know that didn't visit their colleges, and they're disappointed with where they are."

Amy Drolet, Senior English major; VOX; Sign Language Club; work trip veteran

Score: 107

"So far, I think they're very good Guilford-y questions like 'what would you want to call your professor?' I call Richie 'Richie.'"

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Malcolm Kenton, Senior political science and environmental studies double major; President, College Democrats; Co-chair, Student and Community Concerns Committee; WQFS DJ

Score: 128

"I think it covered a lot of the areas that students might be looking for in choosing a college, and some of the questions really did highlight how Guilford is different."

Robin Judge, Senior psychology major; works at the Yoga Cafe and enjoys "random things to do for $2 every once in a while."

Score: 81

"I wasn't gung-ho on my compatibility, but I wasn't like 'this place sucks.'"

"Definitely visit the school."

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Miranda Fedock, Senior music and psychology double major

Score: 132

"They're advertising a school that doesn't exist. This is not the Guilford that I'm paying $30,000 a year to go to. I wanted to come to a nice, small, liberal, hippie school - or open-minded at least - instead they're marketing it to the ridiculously mainstream - it just pisses me off."

"I feel like quizzes like this might mislead freshman, and be like 'oh, well I'm a perfect fit for Guilford, I guess I'll just go there,' and then come here and be like completely, 'no, this isn't what I wanted at all.'"

Eric Mortensen, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies

Score: 99

"I think it's pretty accurate, actually, because I love Guilford. The problems I have with Guilford, I care about because I like the place."

"Talk to people who know the school. Period."

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Amanda Armbrust, CCE first-year art major; already has one degree from Guilford in religious studies

Score: 120

"This one seems like it's leading you to pick the longest answer. ... But it's also the best one, so there."

"I think it's helpful to see if you're a match, but I also don't like the idea that someone might score low and be deterred from this really diverse community that a lot of people find their place in."

Connie Haynes, CCE junior CIS major

Score: 99

"I haven't been disappointed."

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian

Luke Walsh-Mellett, First-year

Score: 92

"If you know someone who goes here, visit, stay with them."

Meredith Mathis, Sophomore justice and policy studies major

Score: 93

"If I didn't score well on it or it wasn't really a match, I probably wouldn't come. ... This would probably have a big impact on my decision."

Jeremy Bante/Guilfordian