Most high school seniors relish in those end-of-the-year pleasures of prom and yearbook signing, final pep rallies and graduation, but few are thrilled about the long and sometimes arduous process of choosing a college. Finding the right college that best fits your needs is exciting, but it can also be time-consuming, confusing, and leave students fearful about not making the right choice. These strategies can help you save time when choosing a college and make a thoughtful, well-researched decision about your education.
1. List Objectives in Advance
Determine what you want out of your education and college experience before you begin your search. Ask yourself questions such as: do I want a two-year or a four-year university, do I want to stay in-state or go out of state, do I want a campus experience or am I going to live off-campus. Also, make a list of requirements that includes extra-curricular activities you'd like to join, programs you want to apply for, and average amount you're looking to spend.
2. Consider Your Major
A college might appear to have everything you want, but you may find that they don't have the major you're looking for. Or, they might seem have the major on paper until you really dig deep into the methodology of the program and realize it's almost what you're looking for, but not quite. Be clear about the major and type of training you want before you choose your college. For example, if you're a photography major, do you want a commercial photography education or a traditional fine arts education? Each decision reflects the type of major you're really after and therefore the college you want.
3. Use College Comparison Sites
Exploring colleges is now easier than ever before with college comparison websites like U-Can. Run by the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, U-Can helps students search colleges by one of 17 criteria including state, degrees offered, tuition and fees, religious affiliation, even average undergraduate loans owed at graduation. Sites like these can help you narrow down the criteria that are most important to you and find the colleges who can meet those specifics.
4. Check Statistics, But Don't Rely on Them
Every year, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report, The Princeton Review, and others publish college rankings and statistics about everything from happiest students to biggest party schools. While these rankings are important and are good to consider when choosing your education, they should not be trusted as the ultimate word on a school's value. Rather, you should use these statistics to give you general guidelines about where a school falls in relation to all others.
5. Tour the School
A school that looks one way on paper may be very different in real life. Promotional pamphlets and mailings only tell students one side of the school's story, and usually it's the side college administrators want them to see. By actually going to the school's campus and touring the grounds, you'll get an idea of what the student body is like, how the campus environment feels and whether the dorms and buildings look as nice and well kempt as they seem in the brochure.
6. Are You a Good Fit For Them?
A college should fit your requirements, but you should also be realistic about fitting theirs. Evaluate your GPA and SATS scores against what colleges you like are looking for and take them into account when considering whether to apply. While it is good to be ambitious, you don't want to waste your time and money on a school that's clearly above or below your skill-level.
7. Trust Your Gut
In the end, your gut instinct should be the final determination in whether or not to choose a school. If it seems right to you, then odds are it probably is.
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