Photo courtesy of Harold Melamed
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Investigating and
Exploring Colleges
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College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won
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Beginning your Search:
It is important to understand that selecting a college is not an exact science. There is no one college that is the "perfect fit" for anyone. In fact, the college you will eventually choose may be a college you've not heard of today. Regardless of what you have heard, there are many colleges that are a good match for every college-bound student. You should not focus on one school, or think of college as a prize. Rather, establish and identify your own unique criteria for selecting a college, then carefully research a range of schools that fit your criteria.
Self-examination is the first step of your college search process. You should begin by asking yourself general questions such as:
- In what kind of environment do I see myself being comfortably living and studying?
- What academic atmosphere allows me to work best?
- What are my short and long-term goals? Don't worry if you have no specific answer for this question. It is O.K. to be undecided.
- What type of social atmosphere would I enjoy?
- What size college would I like?
- Is distance from home important?
- Would I enjoy an urban, suburban, or rural environment?
- Is weather a consideration?
Academic Atmosphere:
Academic program and atmosphere are often the first criteria considered by students when selecting a college. The following questions may help define student preferences:
- What level of academic competition and degree of challenge am I seeking?
- Am I excited by all ideas, regardless of the subject, or do I perform better if I am studying something in my field of interest?
- Do I see academic work as a means to an end, necessary preparation for a specific occupation?
Curriculum is an important aspect of the academic atmosphere.
- Do you know what you want to study? If so, can the college you are interested in meet your needs?
- Is the teaching style of the professors traditional, or is it innovative?
- How is technology used in the classroom?
- What is the school calendar (semester, trimester, quarter, block, or 4-1-4)?
- Are there distribution requirements (foreign language, mathematics, etc.), and how much freedom is there to choose within the context of the school's academic program?
- What percentage of the college's graduates pursue graduate work immediately? After five years?
Some additional questions may include:
- What is the average class size? Is it different for first year classes?
- Do professors or teaching assistants teach most undergraduate classes?
- Do students consider the college a grind, or do they feel they have a balance between work and play?
- What is the retention rate from one year to the next, and how many students graduate in four years?
Social Atmosphere:
Questions may include:
- Is it important that my college be coed, single sex, historically black, or religiously oriented?
- What is the gender balance?
- Do I want to join a fraternity or sorority, or will I be more comfortable being at a school with an individually centered social life?
- What housing options would I like? Single sex, or coed by room or by floor, substance free, quiet floors?
- What are my dietary needs and preferences?
- Is safety a concern?
- In what type of school activities am I interested?
You will learn a great deal from your college classmates each day. Diversity in the student body may be important to you. Consider the geographic, racial, ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic background of your potential student body. You may also want to consider the political atmosphere of the school. Is it left or right, liberal or conservative, or is the school apathetic politically?
Admission Requirements:
Know your test scores and your GPA.
- Learn the entrance tests, the rigor of the high school program, and the grades that each college requires.
- What percentage of applicants are admitted?
- What is the academic profile of the middle 50% of admitted students?
Based on the answers to these questions, make an assessment of your chance of admission. It is important to be honest with yourself when making this assessment. The more honest you are, the greater your chances of being successful with your applications.
Developing a list of colleges to explore:
Your responses to the self-examination questions will help you develop a list of colleges to research. Remember, your criterion may change as you go through the process, so be flexible!
Many resources are available to assist you in developing your list. Your college counselor will serve as one resource, but you should also use promotional materials sent by the colleges, the Internet, and college guidebooks.
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