About buzzard Expertise Experienced college admissions professional who has assisted hundreds of students and their families in finding the right college. Choosing a college is not a game that only a few people can win; there is no universal handfull of "best" colleges. It is possible for everyone to find a college that is the right fit for them.
Experience 10 years as a college admissions counselor; 12 years working for a national association of college admissions counselors; two children of my own in college Frequently teach "How to Choose Your College" programs.
Question What are some general tips you could give as to what i should consider in choosing a college?
Answer Hi, Allison!
This is a subject that I could talk about for hours... Let me see if I can trim it down a little!
Choosing a college is all about finding the right "fit" for yourelf. There is no such thing as a universal "best" college; the school that's best for you may be a horrible choice for someone else. Here's some factors that you should consider in evaluating yourself to figure out what kind of a college might "fit" you well:
majors - what do you want to study? Even if you don't know yet (which is very common)look for schools that are strong in areas that interest you. If yo are a techie, you're going to want to see labs and multiple majors in engineering, or computers or whatever. If you are a history and literature, the quality of the library and ease of research wil be a big deal.
location - urban? Rural? suburban? There are great strengths to all of these locations, but which is right for you? Distance from home? Nearby or as far as possible? climate?
size - of college, but also average class size (faculty/tudent ratio is usually a fairly meaingless number since you don't know who is counted as "faculty") Do you do your best work when you can interact with teachers and get personal attention? Are you happiest when you are left alone in class and can learn on your own? I am strongly biased in favor of colleges where you can know and be known by your profs. I cannot believe that people earn well in groups of 300 or more! You can still be an independent learner at a school with small classes, but everyone is forced to be at a school with large classes.
academic level - many students strive to be admitted to the "best" college they can get into - the one with the best academic reputation. But barely meeting the admissions requiirements and struggling for 4 years is a really hard college experience! If you are the best and brightest thing in all of your classes now, you may be ready for more of a challenge and to be pushed to a higher level. If you are doing OK now, look for a school where your test scores and class rank will have you well within the range f most students. Expect your college grades to takea bit of a dip from HS grades at first, unless you have been going to a demanding HS.
Enviroment, atmosphere, mood, values - What are the students into at the college? Study till you drop? Drink till you puke? Smoke till you choke? How seriously are studies taken? Are people there to learn or get a piece of paper? Is the honor code a joke? Do the weekends begin on Thursday and end on Tuesday? Are campus rules followed or there to make parents feel good?
This will be your home for 4 years. How do you want to live? All colleges are not into partying - but you can find a party at every college. Do not believe that getting drink, sleeping around and behaving badly are an inherent part of college ife. At some schools? yes. At others, no way!
How do you want to live? Does a school offer wellness dorms? Can you get a healty diet (by your standards) in the cafeteria? Do people there do activities you enjoy - mountian biking? sailing? drama? music groups? service? sports? Are the people going to this college your kind of people? You won't finid everything you like anywhere, but you should be comfortable there and feel free to explore and be yourself. Learnign in college is not limited to the classroom.
Publc, private, $$$ -
Before searching in earnest, have a frank conversation with the 'rents and find out how colege wil be payed for nd what kind of money there will be to pay for it.
DO NOT ASSUME that all private colleges will cost more than public colleges! Often they offer extra scholarships and more financial aid and people are sometimes surprised that a private may be in the same ballpark, when all is said and done. The price tag isn't the bottom line. DO NOT ASSUME that all publics are education for the masses and won't be challenging or well respected.
How's that for a start? Or was it too basic? Ask again if you need some more information or would care to be more specific about what you are looking for.
