| In trying to decide what type of college | | | | college close to home? |
| will best meet your wants and needs | | | | How much do I value attending college |
| there are many things to consider. | | | | with students of different geographic |
| Listed below are some of the factors you | | | | backgrounds? |
| will need to consider in deciding where | | | | How frequently do I anticipate going |
| you want to go to college. | | | | home during the academic year? |
| Type of institution- Private or Public. | | | | How extensively does the weather affect |
| College or University. Church sponsored. | | | | my studies or quality of life? |
| Colleges can be either public or | | | | Consider whether you would prefer a |
| private. Public colleges are those that | | | | geographically diverse student body, or |
| are supported by the state in which they | | | | a regional community of students from |
| are located. Many highly ranked colleges | | | | more homogeneous backgrounds. |
| in the United States are state-supported | | | | Campus life- What happens on campus when |
| institutions. These colleges can often | | | | people aren't in class |
| provide an excellent education at a | | | | Whether you enjoy your college years |
| price for an in-state resident that is | | | | will often depend on the experience of |
| much less than comparable private | | | | living on a college campus. Learning in |
| colleges. At the early stages of your | | | | college comes not only from your class |
| investigation, I would encourage you to | | | | work but also through interacting with |
| consider both private and public | | | | your college friends, extracurricular |
| colleges. | | | | activities, and just hanging out in the |
| While private colleges frequently cost | | | | dorm. Here are some factors that can |
| more than comparable state institutions, | | | | affect your college experience. |
| they often have the financial means to | | | | Housing Living on-campus for the first |
| offer generous need-based or | | | | few years of their college experience is |
| scholarship-based financial aid. This | | | | important for many students. Dormitories |
| aid can make the cost of a private | | | | can become a focus of college campus |
| college the same or less than attending | | | | life and the easiest way to meet new |
| your state college. | | | | friends. If it is an important |
| Many of the more selective private | | | | consideration for you, remember to ask |
| universities and colleges have a | | | | any college in which you are interested |
| religious affiliation. The extent of | | | | about the availability of on-campus |
| spiritual influence varies. But at the | | | | housing for all four years. Some |
| beginning of your college search, we | | | | colleges only have enough housing for |
| strongly encourage you to investigate | | | | the first year or two of the college |
| all private colleges, regardless of | | | | experience. |
| religious affiliation. | | | | Extracurricular activities The |
| Academics- What courses and majors are | | | | extracurricular activities you engage in |
| you looking for | | | | are not only fun but can be part of your |
| The most important reason for going to | | | | learning experience. Look at the view |
| college is to get an education. The type | | | | books of the colleges to see what |
| of academic atmosphere and variety of | | | | activities are available. Talk to people |
| courses studied is an important factor | | | | at the colleges you are considering to |
| to be considered when choosing a | | | | find out what activities are popular on |
| college. Be careful, however, of | | | | that campus. Many colleges have 100 or |
| choosing a college based solely on it | | | | more groups for students with a variety |
| having a particular major or field of | | | | of interests. Also ask about how easy it |
| study. Research shows that 90% of all | | | | is to start a new group if you have a |
| college graduates do not major in the | | | | particular interest not currently |
| field of study they originally had | | | | represented on the campus. |
| intended. This happens for several | | | | Fraternities and Sororities The |
| reasons. | | | | presence of a Greek system can have a |
| First, most colleges have majors in | | | | dramatic effect on campus life. Ask |
| subjects you have never before studied | | | | people on campus about how the |
| such as political science or | | | | fraternities and sororities affect the |
| anthropology. Second, as you gain | | | | social life of any college in which you |
| experience and maturity in college, your | | | | are interested. Do they dominate the |
| interests may change. Take time to | | | | social scene or is it spread between |
| explore your options and be realistic | | | | many different groups? Can anyone go to |
| about your talents. Be sure to pursue | | | | a Greek party or are the limited only to |
| a course of study that is of genuine | | | | certain students? |
| interest to you, not just one you think | | | | Campus Employment Many students will |
| might lead to a good career. | | | | hold a part-time job on or off campus |
| If you do have a strong interest in a | | | | while enrolled full time in college. |
| particular area, such as science, it is | | | | Talk to current students about the |
| important to evaluate a college's | | | | availability of jobs and what types of |
| facilities and offerings in those areas | | | | jobs students typically get. With |
| to make sure they have adequate | | | | budget cutbacks, some colleges are |
| resources. Remember that many smaller | | | | starting to limit the number of jobs |
| colleges may not offer majors in certain | | | | available to students on campus. If you |
| professional fields, such as | | | | need to have a job but have to seek one |
| engineering, business, or physical | | | | off campus, think about the time |
| therapy. If you are certain of a | | | | involved in getting to such a job and |
| specific field of study, be sure that | | | | the additional costs of transportation. |
| the colleges and universities you are | | | | Athletics- Are big time athletics |
| considering offer that major. | | | | important to you. |
| Don't exclude a smaller college, | | | | Many students who engage in high college |
| however, simply because you think the | | | | athletics may want to continue to play |
| resources may be inadequate. Remember | | | | that sport in college. College students |
| that all of the resources of a college | | | | participate at three levels: intramural, |
| are available to its undergraduate | | | | club, and intercollegiate. Intramural |
| students whereas at a large university, | | | | play is most common. Intramurals allow |
| many of the specialized equipment might | | | | students to compete at a variety of |
| be reserved for graduate students only. | | | | different levels of competition with a |
| Some of the largest producers of PhD's | | | | primary emphasis on enjoying the sport |
| in this country are small colleges. | | | | for personal fitness, relaxation, and |
| Atmosphere- Liberal, conservative or | | | | fun. Club sport teams are usually |
| something in between | | | | jointly sponsored by students and the |
| Each college has a particular "feel". | | | | college, and may compete against other |
| Many factors go into creating the feel | | | | colleges' club teams. |
| of that college's including the | | | | Intercollegiate athletics is the |
| responsibility the administration of the | | | | university equivalent of varsity-level |
| college allows the students, the | | | | sports. These programs are categorized |
| competitiveness of the students with | | | | by the NCAA into three divisions of |
| each other and the students involvement | | | | varying degrees of competition: Division |
| in social concerns. | | | | I, Division II, and Division III. |
| Every campus will have a different feel. | | | | Selectivity- How hard is it to get into |
| What is important is to determine if the | | | | a college. |
| campus atmosphere will be comfortable | | | | Your academic performance in a |
| for you as a person. The best advice | | | | challenging, rigorous program of study |
| regarding student life is to look for an | | | | is the most important factor in |
| intellectual and social climate in which | | | | determining your admissibility to |
| you will feel comfortable and | | | | colleges. Admission committees value a |
| challenged. | | | | consistent level of achievement over |
| There is no substitute to visiting the | | | | four years, but they also give strong |
| college to discovery how any college | | | | weight to students who demonstrate |
| feels. By talking to students, | | | | significant improvement over the course |
| professors and administration on a | | | | of their academic career. While your |
| campus, students can gain a better feel | | | | grades are the most obvious indication |
| for that college's culture. Also, look | | | | of potential future success, colleges |
| around as you are on the campus. What | | | | also want to see that students have |
| activities are putting posters up, and | | | | challenged themselves in a competitive, |
| what are people talking about? These | | | | demanding academic program throughout |
| are just a few of the issues to look at | | | | their entire high college career. The |
| in understanding the feel of each | | | | more honor and AP courses you are able |
| college | | | | to take successfully, the stronger |
| Student body and gender- Co-ed college | | | | candidate you will be. Does that mean |
| or single sex | | | | that you should take AP courses even if |
| While most campuses now are coed there | | | | the material if too difficult for you? |
| are still some all women colleges | | | | No. But most admission committees will |
| available for students to consider. The | | | | give more weight to a B in an AP course |
| women's colleges can be an excellent | | | | than an A in a much simpler course. |
| choice for the right student as they | | | | Standardized testing also plays a |
| often offer not only strong academics | | | | critical role in admissions. Virtually |
| but also strong support for women that | | | | all colleges will accept either the SAT |
| might be lacking in similar coed | | | | I or the ACT. Many of the highly |
| colleges. And lest you fear that you | | | | selective colleges also require or |
| will be living in a convent, almost all | | | | recommend SAT II subject test. The most |
| women's colleges now have some sort of | | | | important thing to keep in mind for each |
| relationship with coed schools so men | | | | of the colleges you are considering is |
| will be around even in an all women's | | | | their 'middle 50%' range of testing. |
| college. | | | | While a quarter of admitted students |
| Setting- Where do you want to live | | | | have scores either above or below this |
| The physical environment of the college | | | | test range, such a median range will |
| may be very important to you. Some | | | | give a general indication of the |
| people prefer the variety of activities | | | | strength of the applicant pool and how |
| offered by a large city. However, a | | | | you compare. |
| large city requires certain adjustments | | | | After looking at your academic |
| that not everyone will be comfortable | | | | performance and your test scores, most |
| with. For instance, an inner city | | | | selective colleges will then look at |
| college will often not have the classic | | | | subjective factors such as your |
| college campus look. Rather, it will | | | | recommendations, your essays and your |
| consist of high rise classes rooms and | | | | extracurricular activities. The amount |
| dorms. Others want to go to college | | | | of weight given to these subjective |
| in a more rural setting. These more | | | | factors varies from college to college. |
| rural campuses will often have the | | | | Financial aid- If I do get in, how am I |
| classic ivy covered buildings with | | | | going to pay for the college. |
| beautiful scenery in all directions. But | | | | Financial aid may consist of grants or |
| the excitement of a large city will be | | | | scholarships, loans and work study. |
| missing from such a campus and for those | | | | Grants and scholarships are money that |
| students seeking big time athletics or | | | | does not need to be repaid while loans |
| popular concert venues may not be | | | | need to be repaid. Work study is |
| comfortable in such a setting. The | | | | generally a job offered on the campus of |
| decision of a location and campus | | | | the college offering the financial aid |
| setting comes down to the question of | | | | although it may also be a job off |
| where you would like to spend the next | | | | campus. |
| four years living. | | | | There are two basic types of financial |
| Size- Large university or small college | | | | aid; need based aid and merit based aid. |
| The following are generalizations, so if | | | | Need based aid is given by all colleges |
| some of these areas are of concern, ask | | | | to students who have need. Anyone who |
| questions at the colleges you are | | | | can't pay the full cost of the college |
| considering: | | | | has need. |
| A large university (15,000-50,000+ | | | | A form called the Free Application for |
| students) may offer a variety of | | | | Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) |
| academic opportunities including | | | | determines the amount of need for |
| elaborate facilities and large | | | | federal grants and scholarships. Many |
| libraries, as well as the stimulation of | | | | highly selective colleges also require a |
| a large faculty, graduate students and | | | | form known as the Profile form The FAFSA |
| undergraduates. However, housing may be | | | | form is filled out after January 1 of |
| more difficult to obtain, more courses | | | | the year the student will first attend |
| may be taught by graduate students, | | | | college. |
| lecture sessions may be very large, and | | | | Merit-based aid includes scholarships |
| opportunities for leadership in campus | | | | typically for students who have good |
| organizations may be diminished. | | | | grades or have some other special talent |
| A medium-sized university (5,000-15,000 | | | | such as athletic or musical talent. |
| students) may offer fewer majors and | | | | Most highly selective colleges offer |
| more modest facilities than a large | | | | little or no merit-based aid. |
| university, but also may offer greater | | | | In looking at colleges you should ignore |
| opportunities to participate in the | | | | the cost of the college. Yes, you read |
| activities of your choice. | | | | that right. Ignore the stated cost of |
| Small colleges (under 5,000 students) | | | | the college when you are first deciding |
| usually offer smaller classes, earlier | | | | which colleges to investigate further. |
| opportunities to take classes with | | | | Many of the most expensive private |
| well-known professors, and more chances | | | | colleges meet 100% of the students need |
| for participation and leadership in | | | | while cheaper public colleges usually |
| campus activities. However, facilities | | | | meet less than 100% of the need. This |
| and classes may be limited and options | | | | means that for many students it can be |
| for activities and diversity reduced. | | | | cheaper to go to an expensive private |
| Location- Where do you want to spend the | | | | college than to attend a cheaper state |
| next 4 years | | | | school. Until you know what percent of |
| When considering the possible locations | | | | need the college meets, don't eliminate |
| of your future colleges, consider | | | | a college from consideration just |
| questions such as: | | | | because it is expensive. |
| How important is it for me to attend | | | | |