Friday, May 9, 2008

Choosing a college

In many ways, the college search begins at birth! Decisions that you make about what kind of school you wish to attend reflect the interests, values, and attitudes that have been developed throughout your life. Your goal should be to find a college that represents the best match for you. It should be a school that enables you to stretch intellectually while having that elusive feel that will allow you to be happy.

As a junior, you have plenty of time to make your decision; however, that does not mean you should procrastinate. The more you learn about your college options, the better choice you will make when you are forced to make a decision. Your college counselor can aid you to make a decision by helping you to identify options; however, only you can ultimately make the final decision. The more you know about your college choices, the better decision you will make.

How to begin?

Sometimes one of the best ways to begin the search is to find out what kind of college personality you have. You can do by taking this quiz on the U.S. News & World Report site: www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/cpq/coquiz.htm . First, with the help of your parents, teachers, and friends, identify what characteristics you are looking for in a college. Start off by answering the following questions:

  • Will I flourish in a large or small school?
  • Do I want to be close to home, or does location matter?
  • Do I want to be in a rural, suburban, or urban environment?
  • Is cost an important factor?
  • Can I thrive in a 'pressure-cooker'?
  • What majors should my college of choice have?
  • Do I want a single-sex or coed environment?
  • Do I want any special programs, such as ROTC or co-ops?
  • What is the right 'feel'? Schools vary from those that are similar to the radical campuses of the sixties to very conservative religious institutions.
  • Is diversity of the student body important to me?
  • What kinds of activities or sports am I looking for in college?
  • Am I looking for a liberal arts education, or do I want to find a school that focuses on the arts or technology?

What's next?

After you have answered the questions above, it is time to start identifying colleges that meet the criteria you have set. There are many ways that you can do this. A great place to start is on the Internet. We have identified a score of websites that can be very useful. Several of these sites have college search programs that will allow you to locate colleges that meet your criteria. In addition, Episcopal has an excellent program, called Naviance, which allows you to search for a college. However, perhaps one of the best ways to identify colleges that meet your criteria is to talk to the college counselors. Collectively, the college counselors have spent more than one hundred years involved in college advising, have visited hundreds of colleges, and know you well enough to have some sense of the right 'fit.' By the end of the junior year we would like you to have a preliminary list of ten to twenty colleges in which you are interested.

Some great places to do college searches:

College fairs

A NACAC college fair will be held in Jacksonville during the fall. Attending a college fair is a great way to gather information from many colleges.

More information

Once you have identified colleges in which you think you are interested, get more information. Nowadays, one of the easiest ways to learn about a college is through its web site on the Internet. In addition, you can ask for further information about the school online. Moreover, you can always write or call to have information sent. After receiving this information, review it to see if your initial perceptions of the school are correct. Share your feelings with your parents and counselor.

Videos of many colleges as well as catalogues are available in the college resource room. Spend time scanning these. Sometimes you will stumble on a college of which you were unaware. There is a certain amount of serendipity involved in the process.

During the fall, as many as fifty college representatives will visit Episcopal. Make it a point to stop in to talk to these reps, especially if they come from a college in which you are interested. However, even talking to the representative of a college that is unfamiliar to you can help you to focus your college search. In addition, asking questions in this comfortable environment can make the college campus visit much easier.

College guides

Several college guides are available at any local bookstore. Among the most popular guides are ones put out by Peterson's, Princeton Review, and Barron's. Many of these publishers also have excellent web sites. The most recent Peterson and College Board guides include excellent search tools on CD. In addition, many books focus on specific kinds of schools, such as the most competitive ones, Christian schools, schools for students who have learning differences, or schools that build character. Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report put out special editions each year that focus on the college search process. Although controversial, the U.S. News edition that rates colleges can be a useful tool. There are other shorter books that focus on smaller elements of the search or application process (such as interview, essay, visit, etc.). One book that we have recently enjoyed has been College Planning for Dummies. It does an excellent job of simplifying the process as much as possible.

Still, the college bible is the College Handbook, published by the College Board. We find it to be the most informative. The College Handbook allows you to have most key information about each college right at your fingertips. Almost all colleges in the United States are listed in this book. Some of the important information listed of which you should be aware includes the following:

  • The percentage of students accepted. This will help you to determine the selectivity of the college.
  • The number of students who complete the freshman year in good standing and percentage who graduate. This may present a red flag if the percentage is low.
  • General information about the school. Does this college's description match your criteria?
  • Majors
  • Testing requirements are listed under 'Freshman Admission.'
  • Average SAT or ACT scores are listed under 'Freshman Class Profile.' This is another indication of selectivity.
  • Deadlines and other requirements are listed under 'How to Apply.'
  • Average annual expenses

The list

After you have done this research, it is time to create your list. This is a working document, and you should not hesitate to add or subtract from this list throughout the process. During the college counseling class we will give students forms that may help you keep everything organized. Remember that this is a long, complicated process, and you will need to stay organized. The categories we have included on the charts will help you to isolate key information, as well as allow you to write down perceptions and reactions.

As the junior year turns into the senior year, you should start weeding out colleges that no longer interest you. There is no magic number of colleges to which to apply; however, we would recommend applying to at least five, one of which must be a safety to which you are almost guaranteed entry.

Selectivity

There are many factors other than class rank and test scores which determine whether a student is a good candidate for a specific college; however, you might want to keep in mind this guide, prepared by a consortium of Ohio colleges.

college admission policy
ACT range (avg.)
SAT range (avg.)
highly selective
27-31
>1220
selective
22-27
1030-1220
traditional
20-23
950-1070
liberal
18-21
870-990
open
17-20
830-950

 

Planning your academic program

Now is not the time to let down. Remember that colleges are looking for a strong four-year program. Although you must take an academic program that meets your needs, ideally, you should continue taking courses in all five disciplines. Senior year is also a great time to take advanced placement courses. These courses may allow you to receive college credit while still in high school and also demonstrate to a college that you are carrying a demanding course load.

Athletics and other special talents

Special talents can make it easier to gain admission to the college of your choice. However, using the talent to open college doors can be a lengthy process and should be begun no later than during the junior year.

If you are an athlete, prepare a specific athletic resume and consider sending it to college coaches for whom you would like to play during the end of your junior year. You can usually get names of coaches and their e-mail addresses through the college website. Talk to your coaches and your counselor about preparing this resume. Select summer camps are also great ways of showing off your talent, especially in team sports where it would be more difficult for a coach to measure your abilities sight unseen. A videotape reflecting highlights of your career would also be useful. You must begin this process during your junior year. Senior year is probably going to be too late.

If you are a talented musician, thespian, or artist you must also start preparing your junior year. Prepare a resume, reflecting your accomplishments. In addition, you may need to create a portfolio or present an audition. The earlier you begin to prepare, the better the product will be!

The summer

This is your last summer to do something 'impressive'! College academic programs, travel and other adventures, or internships are great alternatives for the summer between your junior and senior years.

In addition, the summer should be spent looking at some of the colleges, which you have placed on your initial college list. Although it is certainly better to see colleges while students are in attendance, summer visits can often allow you to expunge some schools from your list that just don't stack up with the rest. It would be a good idea to visit your top five choices during the summer.



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