Three Steps to a Solid College List

 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?