Choosing a College

Choosing a College

Studies show the more you learn, the more you earn

Survey the Possibilities

Begin your search with a survey of colleges located in the geographic area of your choice, such as your home state, the West Coast, New England, etc.

Resources that may help you:

	The College Board College Handbook		Patterson's School Classifieds
	Lovejoy's College Guide		A Comparative Guide to American Colleges
	Barron's Profiles of American Colleges		The NC Community College System Guide
	Barron's Guide to Two year Colleges		Computerized Career Information System
	Peterson's Guide to Four-Year Colleges		Barron's Guide to the Most Prestigious Colleges

Other Resources:

	College Guides and Maps		Trade School Directories
	College Catalogs		Occupational Outlook Handbook
	Financial Aid Forms		Encyclopedia of Careers
	Armed Forces Brochures		Summer Educational Programs
	Career Descriptions		Current Job Openings
	Admissions Test Applications

Weigh the Differences

Compare colleges in terms of . . .

Location and setting:

distance from home
city, small-town, or country setting

Type and size of college:

co-ed, men's, or women's
university, liberal arts, technical, junior, church-related, state-supported
enrollment, facilities

Comprehensive cost:

tuition, room and board
extra fees, books, special clothing
travel expenses, spending money

Financial aid:

honor scholarships, grants-in-aid
loans
alternative work/study programs, campus jobs

Special curricula, for example:

engineering
medical school
music, arts
education
marine biology
business

Admission requirements:

required subjects
test scores
grade point average
class rank
residency
special talents

Kind of students who attend:

habits, interests, goals
ethnic and religious backgrounds

Campus life:

cultural events, sports, clubs, fraternities and sororities, recreational facilities
rules and regulations
surroundings

Time:

length of time to complete curricula
part-time attendance possible?

Narrow Your Choices

No college (nor type of college) is right for all students, but certain colleges are right for you. Before narrowing your choices, you should answer some basic questions about yourself.

What am I able to do?
What do I want out of life?
What do I need in the way of training?

Narrow your choices to 10 ─ 15 colleges and write for catalogs and/or visit their web sites. When you have selected 3 ─ 6 colleges and have the results of one college admissions examination, consult your counselor.

Listen for announcements regarding visits of college representatives to your school and arrange to talk with a few of them.

Attend the annual postsecondary education opportunities day held at school and talk with admissions personnel representing the colleges you are considering.

Visit colleges (with your parents) during the summer months or preferably in the fall of your senior year to gather first-hand information. Call for appointments ahead of time.

Evaluate the institution as a place where you might eat, sleep, and study for the next four years. Tour the facilities and inquire about extracurricular activities, personal services, and school regulations. If the college is in session, visit a class, talk to students, observe campus behavior, and eat a meal in the dining hall. You will know from your experience on the campus whether that college is right for you. No amount of reading or discussing will tell you this.

Adapted from "College Planning: Making the Right Moves," Wake County Public School System.