Things to Consider When Selecting a College
Deciding where to apply to college can seem overwhelming given the fact that there are over 3000 colleges and universities in the United States. The first step is to begin to think about what characteristics are most important to you in a college. When considering whether a college would be a good place for you, consider the following criteria. You might want to print this page out and cut up the list, making three columns. The first column should be a list of criteria that would be CRITICAL as a fit college, the second list would be criteria that you would prefer but don't HAVE TO HAVE, the third list would be those criteria that are NOT IMPORTANT to you. These lists might change as you begin visiting schools and doing more research.
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Academic offerings/requirements/forming your own major, double degrees, 3+3 accelerated programs (undergraduate + graduate combined degrees)
Specific majors offered
Prestige/reputation
Cost
Library facilities
Study abroad programs
Availability of classes
Support for student government
Research opportunities
Honors program
Quality of student newspaper
Internships
Hands on learning, lecture, discussion
Quality of laboratory facilities
Availability of majors and double majors
Academic rigor
Atmosphere-laid-back, intellectural, social, politically active, compact, architectural style, residential
Accessibility of professors
Tutoring
Academic support for earning disabilities
Availability of academic scholarships
Small discussion groups, class size
Flexible curriculum pre-professional programs
ROTC
Radio station on campus
Sports level- Div 1, 2 or 3
Safety
PERSONALITY CONSIDERATIONS
Being with intellectually vibrant people, more laid back
Being one of the smartest in the class
Teaching style-lecture, discussions, hands on
Being a prominent figure on campus
Resident/Commuter ratio
On campus entertainment options
LGBT supportive environment
Friendly students
Party atmosphere
Size of student body
School spirit
Spectator sports
Predominately religious student body
Fraternities and sororities
Socially or politically conscious people
Free thinkers and non-conformists
Fashion conscious student body
Single sex or coed campus
Relative close by
Diverse student body
PHYSICAL CAMPUS/LOCATION
Being in California
Staying on the West Coast
Art/Music studios
Intermural sports
Campus beauty, architecture on campus
Freshmen allowed to have cars
Outdoor recreation
City life
Ability to get home for the weekend
Weather
Dorm proximity to campus
Guaranteed housing for four years
Substance free housing
Bustling student center/quad
Urban / Suburban / Rural setting
Mountains/beach proximity
Athletic facility
Safety
Compact or large campus
There are also a series of websites with large data bases which allow you to input your criteria and develop a list of colleges that fit your criteria. Explore in more detail the schools that seem to come up frequently on your data searches.
You can go to: www.collegeboard.com, www.collegeconfidential.com, www.collegenet.com, www.etersons.com, www.review.com
The CCC also has reference books to use in developing lists of "good fit" schools.
