Choosing a School
How do you find colleges that meet your needs? Make sure to take some time now to figure out what you expect from your college experience. What are your priorities? What characteristics are you looking for in a school?
Know Your Priorities
Researching Schools
Create a Short List
Go on a Road Trip
Perhaps the toughest part of choosing a college is knowing what you want. Think about the things that are most important in your life, including personal, academic, social and financial aspects. The following are some college characteristics you should consider:
Academic Programs
What are your hobbies? Do you want to pursue them at college? What skills do you want to develop or refine? Do you have a career in mind? If you know what you want your major to be, talk to some people who work in your field of interest. Ask them about the reputations of some of the schools that have that type of program. If you are not sure what you want to do, pick a school that has a variety of classes and majors. And don?t worry, most colleges offer counseling to help you narrow down your choices.
Location
Do you like big cities, the suburbs or smaller towns? Do you want your school to be close to your family and friends? Or do you want to explore a different part of the country? The choice is between the familiar and the unknown. Think about how easy it will be for you to adapt to new places and situations.
Size of the Student Body
Are you comfortable in large crowds or smaller, more intimate groups? How much contact do you want with professors? When doing your research, be sure to find out not only how many students are enrolled in the school, but also how many are enrolled in the program you are interested in. It may be that your program is a small department within a larger university, so the size of your classes could be smaller than what you may expect at a big school. Also, you should ask not only how many professors there are, but also how accessible they are to the students. Sometimes at larger schools, teaching assistants will teach classes, because the professors are focused on research or graduate thesis projects.
Campus Life
It is important to find a balance between your classes and campus life. Research what campus life is like at the schools you are considering. What type of extracurricular activities are available? Sports? Special interest groups? Fraternities or sororities? Take a look at the community where the school is located. What opportunities are available off-campus? Ask about housing. How many students live off-campus versus in the dorms? Is housing guaranteed? How are dorm rooms assigned?
Cost
College can be very expensive, and many students need to take that into consideration when choosing a school. However, keep in mind that there are a lot of financial aid opportunities, such as scholarships, grants and student loans. Financial aid may allow you to attend a college you originally thought was too expensive, so don?t cross a school off your list based on cost alone.
Retention and Graduation Rates
What percentage of students stay for the entire program and graduate? This is important information to know when comparing schools. Good retention and graduation rates are indicators that responsible academic, social and financial support systems exist for most students.
With more than 3500 colleges and universities in the United States alone, you have a lot to choose from. Armed with a list of priorities, you?ll find that narrowing the possibilities to a manageable number (fewer than 20) is a much more straightforward task.
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- Label a file folder with the name of each college from your list.
- Store the folders in a box or crate. Label the box “For College Information Only”.
- File all of the materials about a school in its folder.
- Internet: Most colleges have a website where you can find just about everything from the school?s mission statement to next week?s cafeteria menu. Use our College Search for links to schools? websites.
- High School Counselors: They know a lot about colleges and the admissions process, and they can help you explore your options.
- College Guidebooks: You will find these in your high school or local library, the guidance counselor?s office and bookstores. Look for comprehensive books that are updated annually. They will have the most information you need, and it will be relatively current.
- College Brochures and Catalogs: Most schools will be happy to send you an information packet with brochures, catalogs and other materials designed to ?sell? you on the school. Just call or write the Admissions Office.
- College Fairs/Nights: Representatives from many colleges and universities are available in one location, usually a high school. You can not only get printed materials about many schools, but you can often talk to admissions counselors informally. Check with your guidance counselor to find out when and where college nights are scheduled. When you go, take your parents and your backpack. A college fair is a great way for parents to learn about college admissions and the financial aid process. You?ll need the backpack to carry all the information you collect!
- Alumni, Family and Friends: Anyone you know who has attended or is currently attending the college is a terrific resource, especially for details the brochures don?t cover. This is where you?ll get the inside scoop.
Use our College Search for a Quick Start
Just check the criteria you are looking for ? geographic location, type of school, degrees offered, tuition cost and many more ? then search. In a couple of minutes, our database will produce a list of up to 50 schools that fit the bill. You can save the list too, so you can come back and refine it later.
Get Organized
Before you start collecting college information, set up a system to help you keep all the materials and information organized. Here is one system that?s simple and easy:
You will save time and have everything together if you do a little bit of planning ahead of time.
Dig In
There are a lot of information sources to help you find out about each school on your list. Look into as many as you feel are necessary for you to get a feel for each of the colleges.
Take Notes
As you read and talk with people about all the different schools, make notes about things you like and don?t like. These notes will be helpful as you narrow your list of potential schools.
Armed with all the facts, figures and your own perceptions, it?s time to narrow down your list of schools to just the ones where you are likely to apply. Here are some suggestions to make this process easier:
- Using the priorities you came up with, list the pros and cons of each school. Which priorities does each school meet, or not meet? Compare the lists. Which schools have more pros?
- Rank the schools based on how well your academic credentials line up with their admissions requirements.
- Rank the schools based on your perceptions. Which school seems most inviting to you?
Are certain schools coming out on top for each category? That is a good sign! Select the top five to eight schools for your short list.
You will get more information by visiting a college campus than from any of your other information sources combined. It?s your opportunity to get a feel for the school, so you can decide if it?s a good fit for you.
Some advance planning will help you get the most from your campus visit. The Admissions Office is the best place to start. College Admissions Offices typically sponsor formal information sessions and guided tours on a regular schedule. The staff will help you set up interviews with faculty members, students and Financial Aid Administrators. They can even help you arrange a taste of college life ? visiting classes that are in session, spending a night in the dorm, sampling food from the cafeteria, etc.
Keep in mind that a campus visit is a research project. You are gathering data to help you make an informed decision. Following are a few pointers that will help you go home with the information you need to make your decision:
- Make a list of questions and a checklist of things to look for before you go. As you visit different schools, you?ll want to gather the same information, so you?ll have an accurate comparison.
- Ask all your questions. Remember, the only “dumb” question is the one not asked.
- Take notes. A small notebook that fits in your pocket is a handy tool.
- Talk to the students. They have firsthand knowledge and are usually willing to share details.
- Pay attention to your instincts and how you feel while visiting the campus.
- Check out the surrounding community. Will you feel safe there?
When you get back home, be sure to file all of the information you collected in the school?s folder in your college file. Or if you didn?t like what you saw and experienced, remove that school from your short list.
Spend time making this important decision. It?s worth it!
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