Part II:  Weigh the Differences

Compare colleges in terms of . . .

Location and setting:

• distance from home

• city, small-town, or country setting

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?
   

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