2 answers
jesse
Student
4
Questions
Asked
443 views
What college should i choose?
I enjoy food and i l like playing games.#igintingpossiblilities
Login to comment
2 answers
Marianne Gedeon
Service Management Director
5
Answers
Mentor, Ohio
Updated
Marianne’s Answer
It depends upon a lot of things:
- What field do you want to study? Certain colleges specialize in certain majors.
- How much funding to you have available to pay for college? If someone else had been picking up the tab for my college and there was no limit, I would have gone to Harvard (or one of the top named schools). Given that I was paying for everything myself and working my way through college, I started out at a local community college where tuition was about $100 per credit hour. I earned my Associate's Degree and then went on to finish my Bachelor's and ultimately earn a Master's.
- How close do you want to be to your home? Some kids want to escape from their parents and attend school on the other side of the country. Some want to live at home and commute. Others want a balance, they want to be far enough away from their parents to have some independence but not so far that they can't come home periodically and/or the parents can come to visit periodically. I remember the years my daughter was in college. She was about 3 hours away. At the start and end of every school year, it was Mom's Moving and Storage company taking all the things she needed, clothes, TV, computer, etc. Had she been more than 3-4 hours this would not have been practical.
- How ready are you for college? Are you ready to live on your own in terms of waking up and going to class, cooking meals, washing clothes, etc. Do you know what you want to study? If you aren't ready to be away from home and/or if you don't know what you want to study, I strongly recommend going to a local community college to start. This is a great way to transition from high school to college and especially if you don't know what you want to study, tuition rates are much lower. You can earn your Associate's and as long as you watch what you are taking (general subjects will usually transfer i.e. math, English, etc.) you can often transfer a full (or near full) 2 years worth of credits and then spend another 2 years at a different college to earn your Bachelor's Degree.
In trying to select a college, I strongly recommend you pick a handful you like (3-5). I would then arrange to do school visits and complete them by the end of your junior year of high school. I would visit the colleges when they are in session. Get a feel for the college. How easy is it to get around? What is campus life like? What are the dorms like? What the feel of the campus? Does it feel friendly or cold? How easy is it to get around?
Once you know where you want to go, or have narrowed that selection down, be sure to apply for admission as soon as they open up the application window for when you want to attend. Early application often helps improve your chances of acceptance (obviously along with GPA and ACT/SAT scores).
Good luck on your decision.
- What field do you want to study? Certain colleges specialize in certain majors.
- How much funding to you have available to pay for college? If someone else had been picking up the tab for my college and there was no limit, I would have gone to Harvard (or one of the top named schools). Given that I was paying for everything myself and working my way through college, I started out at a local community college where tuition was about $100 per credit hour. I earned my Associate's Degree and then went on to finish my Bachelor's and ultimately earn a Master's.
- How close do you want to be to your home? Some kids want to escape from their parents and attend school on the other side of the country. Some want to live at home and commute. Others want a balance, they want to be far enough away from their parents to have some independence but not so far that they can't come home periodically and/or the parents can come to visit periodically. I remember the years my daughter was in college. She was about 3 hours away. At the start and end of every school year, it was Mom's Moving and Storage company taking all the things she needed, clothes, TV, computer, etc. Had she been more than 3-4 hours this would not have been practical.
- How ready are you for college? Are you ready to live on your own in terms of waking up and going to class, cooking meals, washing clothes, etc. Do you know what you want to study? If you aren't ready to be away from home and/or if you don't know what you want to study, I strongly recommend going to a local community college to start. This is a great way to transition from high school to college and especially if you don't know what you want to study, tuition rates are much lower. You can earn your Associate's and as long as you watch what you are taking (general subjects will usually transfer i.e. math, English, etc.) you can often transfer a full (or near full) 2 years worth of credits and then spend another 2 years at a different college to earn your Bachelor's Degree.
In trying to select a college, I strongly recommend you pick a handful you like (3-5). I would then arrange to do school visits and complete them by the end of your junior year of high school. I would visit the colleges when they are in session. Get a feel for the college. How easy is it to get around? What is campus life like? What are the dorms like? What the feel of the campus? Does it feel friendly or cold? How easy is it to get around?
Once you know where you want to go, or have narrowed that selection down, be sure to apply for admission as soon as they open up the application window for when you want to attend. Early application often helps improve your chances of acceptance (obviously along with GPA and ACT/SAT scores).
Good luck on your decision.
Sabrina Hammond-Williams
Solutions Specialist
1
Answer
Norfolk, Virginia
Updated
Sabrina’s Answer
Well that is definitely a loaded question. Picking a college is one of the most exciting things you will ever do! I can tell you that the 4 years you spend in undergrad will be some of the hardest but the best years ever.
First decide what it is you want to study? What interests you?
Next look into colleges that have the field of study you want. Check the school reviews for that study field.
Now you can begin to narrow down your list to your top 10 schools. Look at location, cost, reputation, admission requirements, athletics, etc...
Try to start taking college tours in your junior year. This way you can get a feel for the schools and see first hand how the students and staff interact. You can ask questions to students and professors about life at your school. Some colleges even have a mentor program that allows you to keep in touch with current students.
Work with your parents, teachers, and guidance counselors to make sure you are on track to get the best chance at a college acceptance and possible scholarships. Last but not least, have fun! Good luck!
Sabrina recommends the following next steps: