by Katherine O'Brien, Certified College Planning Specialist
KOB@CelticCollegeConsultants.com
As a college consultant, I have guided students through these steps for over twenty years. It is very difficult to do this on your own. The fact that over 13% of all college students transfer to another college and over 80% change their major at least once. For those attending four year public colleges fully two-thirds take more than four years to graduate. At private colleges, nearly half (47%) take more than four years to graduate. Want to save on college costs? Invest in college consulting to help your teen determine his or her goals, select the right colleges to thrive at and finish in four years. To explore working together, email me at KOB@CelticCollegeConsultants.com and schedule an initial consultation for your family.
Step ONE: Pre-Work
There are a number of questions that need to be answered before a student can build a list of prospective colleges. Start to explore these areas in middle school. Have a rough list by the end of sophomore year so you can determine which tests to take (or skip) during junior year and which courses to take during high school. Here are some of the questions:
Who you are – personality, interests, strengths, weaknesses, hopes, dreams
What you want to study – which majors and programs
How you want to study – what opportunities do you need/want?
What academic fit is right for you?
What is your budget for each year of college?
How long do you want to spend in college?
What are your non-negotiables? Location, religious concerns,
political concerns, costs, majors, etc.
What are your wants and what are your needs?
What sort of environment do you need in which to thrive?
Students need to visit campuses – so they know what small, medium, and large campuses are
like and so have a sense of the campus culture.
Step TWO: Determine Your College Selection Criteria
Set your criteria. Prioritize them. Your criteria will differ from your friends' and your siblings' criteria. That's ok - you are unique. Your college criteria will reflect that.
Step THREE: Evaluate and Identify your Prospective Colleges
Select two safety schools that have what you want to study, you are likely to be admitted,
and they are likely to be affordable. Select three to six good fit colleges. If you like, select,
one or two reach colleges
Here are the major criteria to consider -
Criteria |
Guiding questions |
Financial aid |
What’s your likely out of pocket (Net cost) going to be? Colleges have “net price calculators” on their website. |
Cost of attendance |
How expensive is the college? How much have costs been increasing each year over the past few years? |
Location |
Do you want to be located near home? In a city, or a smaller suburb/town? How’s the weather in the area? Is it safe? Is it near interesting places you’d want to regularly visit or intern with? |
Transportation |
How do you get to class? Can you walk or bike from your accommodation? How do you get around town or to the nearest city? If you’re planning to bring a car, is there plentiful parking? Parking fees? |
Major |
Does it have a major aligned with your interests? Or can you create your own major? What about dual major? Minors? |
Academic programs |
In general, how strong are its academics? How strong is the department related to your intended major? Is there a “core curriculum” or course requirements you’ll have to take (and if so, do you like them)? |
Campus |
What’s the campus like? Is it on its own, or integrated in a city? Do you like how it looks? |
Housing options |
Does the university provide housing? Do students tend to stay in their own shared apartments, or in dorms? Could you live at home? Is it a commuter campus? |
Student culture |
What’s the general vibe of the place? Is there anything the student body is known for? Is it a party school? |
Student body size |
Is it a big, medium, or small school? |
Student body diversity |
How diverse is the school, in terms of race, socio-economic status, country or US state of origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity? Are there particular types of diversity you might care more or less about? |
Professor interactions |
What’s the average class size? Are there opportunities for smaller seminars? Do most professors have office hours? Are most classes taught by actual professors or by graduate students? |
Extracurriculars |
What student clubs are there? What are popular student extracurriculars? |
Research opportunities |
Can you work in a science or other lab? Can you become a Research Assistant for a professor, as an undergrad? Can you get funding for your own research? What about internships or co-op programs? |
Sports |
Is the school highly ranked in certain sports, and are sporting events (e.g. football or basketball) highly attended? Can you play club sports? |
Greek Life |
Are fraternities and sororities a big part of campus life? Which ones are on campus? |
Study abroad options |
Do many students study abroad? What programs does the school offer, and to what destinations? Do these fit your goals? |
Health and Wellness |
What’s the student health/medical center like? Does the school offer free medical help or check-ups? What about mental health? What’s the gym like? How’s the food? (Is it delicious and/or healthy?) |
Religious affiliation |
Does the school have a religious affiliation? Are there religious services available on campus (e.g., a church with a regular Sunday service)? |
Political leaning |
Does the school (either the professors or the student body) have a political leaning? If you are political, are there outlets like student clubs for you to continue your activism? |
School history |
How old is the school? What is its history and legacy? |
Reputation / Rank |
How highly ranked is the school? What is its reputation generally? Specifically for your intended major? |
Career center / Job help |
Is there a strong career center to help you find summer
internships or a job after graduation? Is there a strong alumni network or
community that you can tap into? |
No comments:
Post a Comment