The following steps will be helpful
to you in making a college choice:
Do your research
Investigate your
colleges online
Read some of the comparative
guides to see what they say about the campuses.
Talk to college
representatives either in the Career Center on the high school
campus, at the local “College Information Nights”
sponsored by the colleges (information about these is available
by contacting the college or may be advertised at the high
school), or attend the campus “Open Houses” on the
college campus.
Attend College Fairs and speak
to the representatives
Visit the college campus by
appointment or with a scheduled tour.
WHAT TO CONSIDER
ADMISSIONS STANDARDS:
You need to get a good idea of what your chances are of being
accepted. The application process is costly
(approximately $50-75 per application). Be as realistic (given
your GPA and test scores and the other admissions criteria) as
possible.
COLLEGE MAJOR Does
the campus you are considering offer at least three of the majors
that interest you most? If you are planning to apply “undeclared/undecided”
make sure that is possible on your campus of choice? Will the
campus allow you to double major, chose a minor, or design your own
major? How easy is it to change your major if you change your
mind?
LOCATION Where do
you want to go to school? If you are planning to go to school
in another climate, consider clothing expenses. If you are
planning to move away for college, consider the cost of
transportation. Remember that students who attend a public
school in a state in which they do not reside pay “out of state
tuition”. For the most part, private schools charge the
same amount whether you reside in the state or not.
COST It is very
important that you and your parents discuss college costs.
Sometimes students underestimate or overestimate what their parents
are willing to pay. DO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING! Even though
the “sticker price” on private colleges will be higher,
they often have generous financial aid packages to offer
parents. Remember, you will not get CAL GRANTS for going to an
out of California school.
SIZE Whether the
campus is large or small, there are advantages and disadvantages to
each. The best way to see how large or small would feel is to
visit the campus or visit a campus of similar size.
CAREER CHOICE How
well thought of is this campus in the industry you are
considering? What services are offered by the Career
Center? (Often college career centers are where students get
help in deciding on a major. Career Centers also host
interviews for jobs for graduates.) The campus you choose may have a
lot to do with the job you receive upon graduation. How strong
is the alumni association and do they help fellow grads get
jobs?
SPECIAL INTERESTS
Listed below are some possible items
that should be considered when investigating your college
choices:
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS:
Some private schools have a religious affiliation and some don’t.
Many schools that are affiliated with a religion have graduation
requirements that include religion classes. Sometimes these
schools have strict rules governing student behavior that are in
keeping with the religion’s philosophy.
RULES AND
REGULATIONS There are rules and regulations governing
the campus’s expectations of all enrolled students. These
rules are usually published in the catalog. Make sure that you
know what the rules are and that you are comfortable with
them. You should also know what the consequences are of
not following the rules.
CO-ED OR SINGLE
SEX There are many all women’s colleges still
to choose from although men’s schools are rare. This is a
personal choice. If interested in a school like this, be sure
to speak to current students about the advantages.
RATIO OF FACULTY TO
STUDENTS Be careful here. Many colleges will
include “non-teaching” faculty in this ratio which can
lead you to believe that class sizes are smaller than they may
be. The next item is more important.
AVERAGE CLASS SIZE Lower
division, general education classes (classes taken in your first two
years) are usually larger to much larger than classes offered in the
upper division (classes taken in your last two years which are mostly
in your major). This information will give you some clue as to
how accessible professors will be. At a private college, class
sizes are most often smaller than those of public campuses.
HOUSING: Colleges offer
many different housing options. Make sure you carefully
investigate your options when you visit the campus. A good
choice here can make or break how you feel about your college
experience—especially in your first year.
THE GREEK SYSTEM:
(fraternities and sororities) To some students, this is an
important part of their college experience. If it is important
to you, make sure your campus has a Greek system as many campuses do
not. Some campuses may not allow the fraternities or sororities
to have “houses” on campus. With some college, the
Greek System is so strong that not belonging to it may make your
social life challenging.
ATHLETICS/SPORTS:
Consider your options as a player. Division I teams most often
offer scholarships. This is the most competitive program.
Division II sometimes offer scholarships and Division III never gives
scholarships. Talk to your high school or club coach and the
college coaches (when appropriate). Not an athlete but enjoy
football, basketball and other sports as a spectator? Make sure
school has a team. Don’t forget about the intramural
sports—just for fun!
SAFETY ON CAMPUS: Each
college campus is required to publish a crime report. If you or
your parents are concerned, the information should be readily
available from campus security or the admissions office. You
can also contact the local police department for additional
information.
CALENDARS
The following are some options you
may have when it comes to the academic calendar year.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each. Talk to current
students about their opinions.
SEMESTER SYSTEM:
This is the calendar that most high schools have. Most of the
colleges on the semester system begin early in the fall (sometimes as
early as August) and finish the first semester before Winter
Break. Many schools take over a month break in the winter
and sometimes offer a “Winter Session” during which study
aboard programs or classes will be offered. The second semester
begins in January and finishes in late May.
QUARTER SYSTEM: This is
the system used at all of the University of California campuses
except Berkeley (semester) and some Cal State schools. It is
used by several private schools and out of state colleges.
These classes last about ten weeks. School usually begins in
early October, the second quarter begins in January and the third
quarter begins in late March or early April. Summer programs
are offered during the fourth quarter.
OTHER OPTIONS INCLUDE: 4-1-4
(two 12 week sessions with the month of January as an option for
vacation or classes) and Trimesters consist of three 15 week
sessions. There are a few colleges where students study only
one subject at a time for a limited number of weeks (example:
Colorado College)
ADDITIONAL CHOICES
Colleges and universities offer a
wide variety of programs and opportunities for student involvement
such as: School newspaper, radio and television stations,
opportunities to study aboard or study at another campus in the U.S.
for a semester or year, internships in industries both paid and
volunteer, and a chance to take classes at another college in the
area. The possibilities can seem endless. Dare to dream!!
REMEMBER
Statistics show that students who
become involved on their college campus have the greatest chance of
success and of graduating.
Do your homework the first time and
the chances that you will be happy with your choice are much
better. Selecting a college should be an evolution, not an
event.
What if you get there and you really
don’t like it? Give it a year. Remember all changes
are difficult at first. If you still don’t like it, take
this worksheet out again and start over. You can always change
your mind. The reasons you choose a college when you are 17 or
18 may change when you become 20 or 21.
