Introduction to Choosing a

CollegeWhat factors should I consider?

Agenda

Criteria to considerHow to get more InformationSteps to take when visiting

college campuses

How to Select the Best College

What factors should I consider?

Factors to consider

Academic Reputation Friendly Environment Easy Access to Faculty/Equipment Costs Housing Availability Social Life Prestige Location Size of classes/enrollment Physical Beauty State-of-the-Art Facilities

Criteria

Factors to consider

Is the university ranked?What are the average range of

GPAs and exam scores for admitted scholars?

Do my grades and exam scores fall in the accepted range?

Academic Reputation

Factors to consider

Are there areas for student life?Are there programs/organizations

available?What is the feel of the campus

during the school day and on weekends (i.e. are there students out and about the campus or is it mostly deserted between classes?)

Friendly Environment

Factors to consider

What is the ratio of professors to number of students?What is the ratio of technology

to number of students?How frequently do professors

hold office hours?

Easy Access to Faculty/Equipment

Factors to consider

What is the annual cost of tuition?What other fees exist? Is the university eligible to be

funded by federal funds/grants? Is your chosen degree path eligible to be funded by federal funds/grants?

Costs

Factors to consider

What on-campus housing is available? What are the price ranges of the housing? Is there a mandatory requirement to live in campus

housing for any portion of attendance? What off-campus housing is available? What is the range of costs for off-campus housing? Is a car necessary? If so, what is the parking situation? Are there resources to connect for shared living

situations?

Housing Availability

Factors to consider

What clubs/activities exist?Is there a freshman transition

experience?What surrounds the campus?

Is it isolated or in an urban area with many different activities near by?

Social Life

Factors to consider

Where is the university ranked in reports like the U.S. News and World Report of top universities?

What is the admission profile of a typical candidate?

Prestige

Factors to consider

Is it local? Distant?Is it urban? Rural? Suburban?

Am I prepared for the local weather?

Location

Factors to consider

What is the size of the typical intro class (large lecture)?

What is the size of a typical seminar class?

How many students attend the college?

Size of Classes/Enrollment

Factors to consider

Are the buildings aesthetically appealing?

Are the campus grounds aesthetically pleasing?

Physical Beauty

Factors to consider

How modern are classrooms?

When was the technology room last updated?

State-of-the-Art Facilities

Factors to considerWeighing the Criteria

Criteria Weight of ImportanceAcademic Reputation 20Friendly Environment 15Easy Access to Faculty/Equipment

15

Costs 10Housing Availability 10Social Life 5Prestige 5Location 5Size of classes/enrollment

5

Physical Beauty 5State-of-the-Art Facilities 5TOTAL 100

How do Obtain This Information

What do I do??

Steps to Take

Research universities online- click on the “admissions” tab

Fill out “more information” tabs to have more information sent directly to the address specified

Call admission offices with specific questions Arrange for visits to local universities Document all visits so you can reference

them when completing applications later!

At Home

Steps to Take

Meet regularly with our Road to College (RTC) team- this year consists of our academic counselor, Mrs. Villanueva. Next year will consist of academic counselor *plus* Dean of College Prep and College & Career Counselor (dedicated to juniors)

Visit the RTC office and college board to read brochures Work with RTC to identify “best fit,” “dream,” and “safe”

universities- apply to at least two “best fits” and one each for “dream” and “safe”

Connect with RTC to learn how to take advantage of potential “fly-in” programs for distant universities

Take advantage of the junior-year RTC trip

At School

Making the Most out of your

College VisitWhat questions should I ask?

When on campus…

LookListen ReadAsk QuestionsFeel

Ask students

What are the best reasons to go to this college? What’s it like to go from high school to college? What do you do in your free time? On the weekends? What do you love about this college? What do you wish you could change about this

college? Why did you choose this college? Where do you live? What is it like to live here?

What types of information can you learn from college students?

Ask admissions officers

What majors do you offer? What are your most popular majors?

What sets your college apart from other universities?

What percent of your students graduate? What standards do you use for

admittance? What type of financial aid is available? What is the total cost of one year of

college at your school?

What types of information can you learn from Admission Officers?

Ask yourself

Why is going to college important to me? Could I feel at home here? Do I like the environment? Could I be friends with these students? Do I

want to be like these students? What do I like about this school? What don’t I like about this school? If possible, find a way to sit in active classes

to get a sense of what the experience will be like. Then, ask yourself if this seems tenable for you.

College is about you. How will you know if you are a good fit?

Act like a College Student!

Ask questions and be engaged Allow yourself to daydream about

going to school here Leave the area better than you

found it. When you go to college, it will be your home. Treat the college like your home for a day.

Be respectful

This is your chance to beon a college campus