True Colors for College Choice: Counseling to Students’ Preferred College Style

1. True Colors for College Choice:Counseling to Students’ Preferred College Style Jane Webber, New Jersey City University jwebber@njcu.eduB-Gr-Go-O INFP J.Barry Mascari, Kean University, NJ jmascari@kean.eduO-B/G----Go ENFP www.kean.edu/~reinvent Vincent Varrassi, Fairleigh Dickinson University vjvarrassi@gmail.com B—Go/Gr/O

2. Learn how identifying students’ styles using True Colors and Myers Briggs Type Indicator reveal and improve college choices and planning Ditiberio, J.K., & Hammer, A.L. (1993). Introduction to type in college. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press. Kalil, C. (1999). Follow your true colors to the work you love. Malibu, CA: DreamMaker Publishing. Miscisn, M. (1991). Showing our true colors. Riverside, CA: True Colors Tieger, P., & Barron, B. (2007). Do what you are: Discover the perfect career for you through the secrets of personality type. 4th ed.. NY: Little, Barron, and Company.

3. The College Going Experience • Most students commute to college within 50 miles of home, but going away to college is an American rite of passage– “the college experience” • Liberal arts vs. Career preparation is misunderstood • 2/3 change their major at least once; many change majors every semester • Most HS students choose a major and college without career counseling self awareness exploration/assessment, or decision making skills • Undecided college applicants and undecided majors need specialized decision making programs

4. Today’s Goals for Your Preferred Type • Gold: Detailed information about how to use True Colors and MBTI with students to improve college choice, step by step directions, and organized handouts • Orange: Fun hands-on activities for True Colors, games, and new jokes to make your work exciting • Green: Research about student’s color preferences, theory about MBTI and True Colors, and ideas for you to consider in the future • Blue: Getting to know your colleagues, affirming your true self, sharing experiences, and expanding ways to connect with your students

5. TRUE COLORS

6. Sam chose a large highly-ranked public university primarily for financial aid. She first loved the excitement of campus life and football weekends although she felt out of place at parties--like an observer. She preferred reading novels to parties, or talking with one student in a quiet setting. Large lecture classes with 600 students overwhelmed her; she was uncomfortable asking questions. Sam hated multiple choice tests and she rarely had to write papers-- which she loved. Her roommate stayed out late partying and Sam missed the close knit support in her high school. Although she made the dean’s list, she did not return the second semester.

7. Sam’s primary color is Blue Sam’s type is an INFP Needs time for self; the outside environment can be overwhelming—needs small groups Needs affirmation and support with strong advising

8. BEN, now in his first year at an art institute, had art eight hours a day. He wished he had considered other majors like theater or education, or a college with more majors, but his parents were successful artists. Most students commuted to the institute; his dorm was a boarding house that emptied on Thursday night. He missed the camaraderie of his high school teams and the radio station where he had been a DJ. His roommate practically “lived” in the art studio, and Ben wished he had friends to hang out with.

9. Ben’s brightest colors are Orange/Blue • His type is ESFJ • Makes quick decisions to close out choices • Need for affiliation, friends, and campus support • Lack of career exploration • Bored with early career foreclosure

10. Camapplied to 18 “top” colleges, worrying more about getting in to the best school than finding a good match. At the accepted student open houses, most described how wonderful their college was and how great it was to be in the Class of 2009. He gained little understanding about which college was the best fit for him. At one school, reps facilitated discussions about how to make a good personal decision about college and what qualities this college had that matched his interests and style. He learned his type, and he met students with similar colors. Cam reevaluated the colleges based on their colors. He chose a roommate from his brightest color group and reconsidered his early choice of becoming a computer engineer by investigating blue and orange majors.

11. Cam’s brightest colors are Blue/Orange and Green • His type is ENFP • Unable to narrow down choices • Unfamiliar with his E, Blue and Orange needs • Needed specialized college counseling to structure his search

12. Five-point plan to choosing the best college fit Choose the best college: • That you can get into • That you can afford financially • That you can succeed at academically • That you can be happy at socially • That fits your needs and goals

13. True Colors • Brief personality style assessment • Brightest to palest color • Persons/environments with opposite color push our buttons • Helps us make decisions based on knowledge of self • Person-environment fit • Palest color is our weakest style

14. Using True Colors or MBTI: Helps to answer major questions • What do I want to get from college? • How will I learn best at college? • How will I spend your free time at college? • How will I live at college or commute to college? • How (and where) will I study at college • When do I want to go to college? • Why do I want to go to college? • Where do I want to go to college?

15. True Colors – MBTI Connection • Amiable Blue Compassionate NF Interactive • Analytic Green Conceptual NT Independent • Driver Gold Conventional SJ Structured • Expressive Orange Courageous SP Active

16. Who is like me? • Orange 35-40%: • Gold 35-40% • Green 12-15% • M 70% F 30% • Blue 12-15% • M 30% F 70%

17. Famous Color Types • Orange • Michael Jordan • Elvis Presley • Ronal Reagan • Marilyn Monroe • Billy Graham • JFK • Lee Iacocca • Winston Churchill • George Patton • Gold • George H. Bush • Walter Cronkite • Connie Chung • Johnnie Carson • Green • Hillary Clinton • Rosalyn Carter • Columbo • Socrates • Moses • Carl Jung • Blue • Mother Theresa • Julie Andrews • Princess Diana • Jimmy Carter • Pope John • Caesar • Ronald Reagan • Ghandi

18. CAREER PREFERENCES • Orange Sports Entrepreneurs Enterprising • Gold Nurse Teacher Principal, Supt. CEOs, Managers • Green Lawyer Computer Engineer Scientist Architect • Blue Counselor Psychologist Social Worker

19. Color Slogans • Green • Think! • E=MC2 • A mind is a terrible thing to waste • Rome was not built in a day • I’ll think about it. • Orange • Go for it! • The thrill of success, the agony of defeat. • Everybody loves a winner. • Where’s the action? • Gold • Honor thy parents • Be prepared • A penny saved is a penny earned • Blue • To thine own self be true • Reach out and touch someone • Did you get a hug today? • Show your true colors • \

20. Orange sees self as • Fun-loving, enjoy life • Spontaneous • Flexible • Adaptable • Carefree • Proficient, Capable • Hands-on • Practical • Problem solver • Quick witted • Confident • Good negotiator • Do many things at once • Eclectic • Can deal with chaos • Curious • Welcomes new ideas • Superior ability to discriminate among options • Sees shades of gray • Great in crisis/emergency

21. Gold sees self as • Stable • Providing security • Dependable, • Responsible • Firm • Always has a view • Efficient • Realist • Dignified, cultures • Generous • Executive type • Strong work ethic • Orderly, neat • Good at sorting, weeding out • Organized • Punctual • Goal-oriented • Seeking closure

22. Green sees self as • Superior intellect • 98% right • Powerful • Creative • Visionary • Original • Eminently reasonable • Rational • Complex • Competent • Abstract thinker • Calm, not emotional • Under control • Precise, not repetitive • Able to find flaws • Objectives • Seeking justice • Firm-minded • Able to reprimand • Intelligent

23. Blue sees self as • Affirming • Great Communicator • Caretaker • Promoting growth, well being • Relates current experiences to past experiences • Likes people • Sympathetic • Nurturing • Warm • Compassionate • Romantic • Spiritual • Idealistic • Willing to work tirelessly for a cause • Unselfish • Empathic • Loving

24. Orange needs • Freedom • Flexible environment • Challenge • Humor • Independence • Spotlight • Stimulation • Excitement • Expression • Fun/Play • Variety • Applause • Support • Change • Results • Affirmation

25. Gold needs • Stability • Order • To be productive • Organization • Expectations met • Recognition • Following of directions • Loyalty • Completion of tasks • Procedures • Detailed Information • Respect • Rules • Consistency

26. Green needs • High achievement • Big picture • Mental challenges • Facts • Autonomy • Strategic plans • Brevity in speech • Time for reflection • Succinct discussion • Few directions • Time to process • Recognition for intelligence • Being in charge • Global concepts

27. Blue needs • Warmth • Intimacy • Understanding • Physical touch • Inspiration • Compassion • Romance • Empathy • Nurturing • Approval • Recognition • Affirmation • Affection • Sensuality

32. Matching roommates by type • Roommate change requests down 65% • Residence damage costs down 36% • Similar roommates are more satisfied • Opposite roommates have lower GPAs

34. P or J? Check their car interior(or their dorm room) Perceiving • Clutter • Like a personal suitcase • Less organized Judging • Clean like new • Precise • Out of sight

35. Extroverts’ Dorm Room • External environments stimulate them • Choose bright exciting paint • Often not very organized—too busy

36. What will stress students out in college? • What stresses you out on the job? • At home? • With your friends and family? • In classes? • Who is not stressed when you are stressed?

37. Orange is stressed by • Too much responsibility • Rules & regulations • Abstract concepts • Reading manuals & directions • Imposed structure • Personal criticism • Following detailed directions • Routine • Deadlines • Inactivity • Lack of fun • Lack of variety • Repetition

38. Gold is stressed by • Incomplete tasks • Disorganization • Irresponsibility • Changing details or directions • Ambiguous tasks • Broken promises • Waste • Nonconformity • Lack of structure • Haphazard attitude • Too many things going on at once • People who don’t follow through

39. Green is stressed by • Not being in charge • Lack of independence • Subjective judgment • Emotional displays • Elaborate use of adjectives • Incompetence • Small talk • Routine • Social functions • Lack of recognition of their ability

40. Blue is stressed by • Broken promises • Too much negativity • Not being involved • Lack of social contact • Too much conformity • Clock watching • Being compared to others • Conflict • Lying • Rejection • Insincerity • Completing paperwork as a priority • Blaming the system before people

41. Campus Community Colors • Blue Macalester, Drew, Hamilton, Hobart, Moravian, Hiram • Green MIT, Cal Tech, Swarthmore, NJIT, Cornell, Stevens, UMDNJ • Orange Sarah Lawrence, Antioch, Syracuse, Full Sail, Emerson, Prescott • Orange/Blue Bard, Oberlin, Northeastern, Hampshire, Colorado College, Pitzer, Paul Smith’s, Lewis & Clark, Grinnell

42. Blue/Gold Landmark, Notre Dame, Principia • Orange/Green Reed, New College, Delaware, Clemson, Cal Berkeley, Drexel, Wesleyan (CT), Carnegie Mellon, RPI • Green/Gold Wellesley, Amherst, Brandeis • Orange /Gold Citadel, Cooper Union

43. Rutgers • Douglass Blue • Cook Green/Orange • Livingston Orange/Blue • Rutgers Green/Gold • Mason Gross Blue/Orange • Pharmacy Gold/Green

44. Others may see Orange as • Irresponsible • Flaky • Goofs off too much • Disobeys rules • Manipulative • Scattered • Not serious • Not able to stay on • task • Scattered • Cluttered • Uncontrollable • Resists closure on decisions • Indecisive • Obnoxious • Not to be trusted

45. Others may see Gold as • Rigid • Controlling • Dull, boring • Stubborn • Opinionated • Unimaginative • Judgmental • Bossy, controlling • Uptight • Predictable • Autocratic • System-bound

46. Others may see Green as • Intellectual snob • Arrogant • Heartless • Doesn’t care about people • Ruthless • Unrealistic • Eccentric, weird • Stingy with praise • Afraid to open up • Emotionally controlled • Cool, aloof, unfeeling • Critical, fault finding • Devaluing relational aspects • Lacking mercy, unfair • Unappreciative of others

47. Others may see Blue as • Overly emotional • Bleeding Heart • Mushy • Hopelessly naïve • Too tender hearted • Easily duped • Too touchy-feeling • Too nice • Too trusting • Smothering • Stuck in the past • Groveling • Fawning • Soft • Talks too much • Pushover

48. Who would you ask to • Set up games for the freshman get-acquainted party • Train front desk assistants to greet guests • Develop an analysis of dining hall use on weekends • Manage a computerized system for logging in residence hall visitors • Stay up late to talk with a homesick freshman • Tally surveys for residence hall noise complaints • Organize freshman teams for Spirit Week contests • Welcome new international students when they arrive

49. The Four MBTI Functions • Extrovert – energized by being around others • Introvert – energized by spending time alone • Sensing – taking in information through five senses, focusing on what exists, adding to external perceptions (concrete) • Intuiting – adding ideas to external perceptions through a sixth sense, noticing what might or could be rather than what actually is (insight) • Thinking – prefer decisions that make logical sense (logical-objective) • Feeling – make decisions on how much they care or what they feel is right (personal-values oriented) • Judging – like to have things, orderly, planned or decided • Perceiving – do not want to miss anything and are flexible and spontaneous

50. The older we get, the more like ourselves we become… • Large group types are consistent over time • In a study of 1,764 college students, their type was not significantly different 10-13 years later **Individuals’ letters may change on scales close to middle