Choose a College
Parents Guide to College Admissions
HOW TO CHOOSE A COLLEGE
When starting to search for a college or university, the first place to start is with YOU!
What are your interests and abilities?
What are your goals?
What classes and activities have you enjoyed the most?
Career interest inventories, personality inventories and other information on the career page can be helpful in considering personal and career goals
College Characteristics to Consider
Type of Institution (two or four year; coed or single sex; public or private, liberal arts, technical, business, etc.) Liberal Arts Colleges stress a broad undergraduate education rather than professional training, such as an engineering degree. Universities offer mainly four year programs in both liberal arts and professional training. They grant both graduate and undergraduate degrees and are made up of a number of schools or colleges. Technical and Community colleges offer one and two year vocational and academic programs. Military academies prepare officers for a particular branch of the military. Most require recommendations for admission by a member of Congress.
Geographic Location (New England, south, west or mid coast; distance from home)
Setting (urban, rural or suburban) How would you feel attending school in a big city?What about way out in the country?
Size of Institution (small, medium, large, very large.
Selectivity (very difficult to open admissions – and in between!)
Cost of Attendance (tuition + fees, room + board, travel minus financial aid)- Watch our Edmit Introduction Video for more information!
Diversity of Student Body (race, religion, international, age, etc.)
Extracurricular Activities (sports, clubs, cultural, religious, educational, etc.)
Housing (on or off campus, coed, single sex, special interest, size of room food and meal plans, roommates, house rules, car on campus, etc.)
Facilities (sports and recreation, libraries, classrooms and labs, lecture halls, handicapped access, laundry facilities, computer availability, student unions, Greek housing, etc.)
Specialized Programs (learning disabilities, physically challenged, English as a second language, etc.)
Narrow your college selections down to at least three (five is better) schools. One of these schools should be a safety school – that is a college you are absolutely certain will accept you and you can afford.