Arianna
How do I shorten my choices for colleges?
I’ve been approached by a lot of colleges, but to me they all say the same thing. I just don’t know what I should look for. I understand things like location and size might be important but I don’t know how to cut my college list down because I don’t know what to look for in a college. Choosing between colleges I have good chances in, who have my preferred major, or are close to home is so difficult because there are so many. How do I know? #college-selection
3 answers
Rachel Resnick
Rachel’s Answer
<span style="background-color: transparent;">Collegeboard.org is a great resource for this! I poured through the pages of universities all over the U.S. when I was a senior in high school. Collegeboard was my go-to site! They put all of the information in one place and it is very easy to use. They even have various filters you can apply to see only colleges that have programs you are interested. To determine academic rigor, look at the admissions requirements, G.P.A. of past admitted applicants, SAT/ACT scores, class rank etc. This will give you an idea of what scores and grades you need to be accepted. However, don't be discouraged your application will be reviewed based on the full picture! College-board will help you get an idea of what is most important to the specific school you are applying to.</span>
This professional recommends the following next steps:
- <span style="background-color: transparent;">Chat with your Guidance Counselor</span>
- <span style="background-color: transparent;">Create a Collegeboard.org account</span>
- <span style="background-color: transparent;">Start using CollegeBoard as a resource to look up schools.</span>
Judy Young
Judy’s Answer
A couple of factors I would consider are graduation rate, how much the college will cost you based on the net price calculator and success of students in getting jobs in your target field.
Victoria German
Victoria’s Answer
This is such a super question and you are on the right track.
Making a decision requires information so that you can compare programs to determine what is right for you.
There are usually multiple right answers so you are potentially looking at ranking your list of schools.
First decide on what factors are most important to you. And it's ok to try this process using different factors.
Don't put pressure on yourself to make a decision before you collect all your facts.
I like using a matrix/grid approach using excel or paper: use these categories and then add your own.
This way you can look at multiple factors at the same time for all your schools.
College A: Graduation Rate| Tuition Costs & Fees| Living Expenses| Scholarships/Work Study| Majors & Opportunities| Campus Life |Career Placement| Alumni Association| etc.
College B: (same categories)
College C: (same categories)
Make a list of all your the colleges or put the names on the matrix.
Create a file folder on your computer or using paper for each college (Colleges A - Z) and create an information folder on each school. This is your fact finding file where you will collect all your information:
If you have brochures, pictures, information, websites put those in a file folder (electronically or hardcopy)
Brainstorm 5 pros (why you like that college) and 5 cons (why you don't like the college)
Make a list of majors that are interesting and give the college a check or a grade if they have a program, give them an A (or 5 points) if its a perfect match, B (3 points) if good match, C (0 -1 points) if no match
Look at your offers for financial aid, scholarships, loans and make a budget for each school (record the money amount in your matrix (so if school costs 10K/yr and living expenses are 5K/y. but you only receive 5K/yr in scholarships [10K+5K] - 5K=10K you need to come up with this money yourself (job, loans, etc.) Sometime you can earn credits at a local community college which transfer and save you some money.
Does your major require you to go onto Grad School? (add this to your budget)
What is the graduation rate and do students make it through the courses on time? (give this a grade too)
What is the city/campus like? What is the quality of life? Will you thrive in that environment (give this a grade too)
Try to visit each college. If you can't can you find someone locally who is a recent alumni or current student.
What is the alumni association like and will you be able to network in the future?
What kind of a job placement program does the college have and does it really work?
Start with the schools you really like and try to figure out why you are interested in those specifically. Do you like the environment, will you do well there, and will it prepare you for the future. With each college imagine your experience there and the opportunities it provides you and what you bring to that college. It is definitely a two way interaction. You are receiving training and you will share and develop your talent. Once you are an alumni you will help inspire other students and interact with others that attended that school. Schools that don't meet your expectations or aren't a good fit for whatever reason should be taken out of the matrix.
Every college has a personality. Look at social media, the website, Twitter, Facebook, etc. to see what kind of character the school has. Do you like what you see? Does it match your vision of the world? Is the school a good citizen and would you be proud to have your name associated with its message. What are the students like that go to that school and are they making a positive difference in the world?
Talking to a mentor or teacher and a parent whose opinion you value can be very important as well. This is because sometimes talking through a decision helps you bring it into focus. You will figure this out and one of your schools is going to be very lucky to have you as a student.
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