Expert: Sue Kayton - 3/19/2008

Question
hey, my name is Julie. I am having MAJOR issues finding a college that fits what Im interested in. Im looking at child physiology or something that will help people with multiple personalitys.BUT IT MUST BE A GOOD ONE. It doesn't have to be like a huge college, it can be small but i big one would look good when I go to apply for a job. Im looking somewhere in in Georgia, but, I live in New Orleans and i also need to be close to home for holidays,family emergency's,deaths,natural disasters, etc. I need major help because I really would like to go to Georgia but that is kinda far. Any suggestions about colleges in Georgia or near there?

Answer
Here are my two cents worth about choosing a college.

1)  The possible major you mentioned is very common, and almost every college offers it.  It's not like you want to major in something unusual like nuclear reactor design.
2)  You didn't mention what year you are in high school.  If you're already a senior, then your choices will be more limited since many colleges' application deadlines for September 2008 have already passed.
3)  You also didn't mention anything about test scores and grades.  If you are in the top 10% of your class, you will have different opportunities than if your grades place you in the bottom 10% of your class.
4)  Have you ever been away from home for an extended period of time before?  Such as two weeks at Girl Scout camp, or a long trip without your family?  This would help you decide how you might feel being away from home for an entire semester at a time.  If you go to school closer to home, it's easier to go home for weekends or holidays.  You might want to find a summer program to attend to help you get the feel for life in a college dorm.  Many colleges have 4-week summer programs aimed at high school kids who can take a few classes to get a feel for their college.
5)  If you go to a huge university, you need to be tough and able to deal with bureaucracy and nit-picky rules, not miss deadlines, and cope with things like computer-generated class registration windows.  If you aren't detail-oriented, or aren't assertive, you might think about picking a smaller college where these won't be issues.
6)  What other possible majors interest you?  If there's anything unusual on the list, that may limit your choices.
7)  There are many excellent guides to the colleges available in libraries and bookstores.  Get one and browse through it.  Ask teachers and friends' parents for recommendations.  
8)  Here's a link to a web page I run aimed at kids who are applying to very-difficult-to-get-into colleges like MIT.  But there is a lot of information that applies to everyone going to college

http://www.suekayton.com/college.htm

9)  Do you have any special extracurricular interests that might also limit your school choice?  Such as looking for a college with a womens' cricket squad or with an Olympic-caliber diving coach?
10)  I live in California so I know all the local schools, but haven't heard of too many in Georgia.  Most people have heard of University of Georgia and Georgia State, but Georgia Tech and Emory are also very well-known, even though they don't have famous sports teams.  Both are very difficult to get into.  Georgia Tech is aimed at engineers and scientists, so it's probably not a good fit for you.  And don't forget about Tulane, Louisiana State, and colleges at the states in between like Alabama and Mississippi.  

I hope this is helpful.  Let me know if you have more specific questions.