With more than 3500 colleges and universities in the country, it can
become overwhelming to narrow your focus to just the three to five that
you want to apply to for admission. If you do not have a particular
absolute priority like an unusual major, a special learning need, or a
unique talent, your choices are wide open.
Whatever factors you use to narrow your choices, you should make
certain that you have at least one foundation school on your list. A
foundation school is a school that offers everything you are looking
for and will definitely admit a student with your academic profile. A
foundation school is a place where you know you can be happy and where
you know that you can get admitted.
While there are many factors to consider when choosing a college, there
are a few key factors which will help you get started. To begin the process, you and your family should discuss the answers to
the following two questions:
1. How far
away from home do you want to go?
2. What size school do you want?
Once you answer those two questions, you can begin to narrow your choices down based on a wide array of criteria. The other factors to consider include:
Setting: suburban, urban, rural
College Type: public, private, research, liberal arts, comprehensive
Academics: list of majors, academic support services,
honors programs
Campus Life: diversity, dorms, fraternities and sororities, clubs and organizations, religious programs
Athletics: varsity sports, intramural sports
Admission Criteria: average test scores, percentage of students admitted, grade point average required, courses required
Cost and Scholarships: what will the school cost you, how much will you be eligible for in scholarship money
Reputation: what are its strengths and weaknesses
Alright, now you know what is
important to you. Where can you find schools that meet your
requirements?
1. Websites: There are some wonderful resources on the internet to help you create a list of colleges. Some of my favorites are:
2. The College & Career
Center: Take advantage of the resources
at El Molino such as; college catalogs, college representive
presentations, college videos and books on college majors and how to
choose a collge. I am available for individual appointments Monday
through Thursday during the school day or after school. You can contact
me at: ddemeduc.ehs@wscuhsd.k12.ca.us or at
824-6554.
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