Choosing Schools

There are more than 4,000 institutions of higher education in the United States alone. How will you pick the right one for you? It is easier when you know what you are looking for!

It is helpful to understand the various types of undergraduate colleges and universities.

Liberal arts: These schools emphasize undergraduate education in many different areas and often teach with the goal of developing a well-rounded student with knowledge in many different areas. These institutions are well suited for students who do not know exactly what they want to study as they offer a variety of degrees. Three important characteristics of liberal arts universities include a smaller student body, a residential student life, and an average of two years of exploration before declaring a major. A lot of larger schools, such as some of the UC's, have a College of Letters and Science within the institution. This specific college is similar to the education offered at a Liberal Arts school.

Conservatories: A specialized college that focuses on professional training in the arts (dance, drama, music). Some conservatories are stand alone institutions (ie. Berklee College of Music) and others are within a larger college or university (ie. The Hartt School-University of Hartford).

Technical institutes: These schools, also known as poly-technical institutes, teach subjects with a specialization in science, engineering, and technology. An education at a technical institute will often involve vigorous firsthand research.

Vocational schools: Also known as career schools or sometimes technical schools, these institutions teach the particular skills needed to perform a specific job. Students must know that they are truly passionate about the subject that their school teaches as the education that they receive will have very little value in other industries.

Community colleges: Also known as junior colleges or city colleges, these schools provide a two-year education. They generally focus on any of five different types of education:

• • Transfer education - preparing students to transfer to a four year institution and graduate with a bachelor's degree. This is an excellent option for many students as it gives them the opportunity to either take classes and earn credits that they will need to gain admission to a four year institution or earn credits that will enable them to graduate earlier, often with two years at each the university and the community college.

  • Career education - allowing students to earn an Associate Degree in a specific field in two years and then enter the workforce.

  • Developmental - allowing students who have graduated from high school but are not yet ready to handle college-level work to continue their studies and prepare to pursue a four-year degree.

  • Continuing - offering courses to the community at large for personal growth and development. These courses are not related to degrees or certificates, they are designed for people in the community who want to learn.

  • Industry training - a specific company pays the junior college to host educational programs to train their employees for jobs

Once you are familiar with the types of colleges that you will be applying to, it is time to pick the specific institutions.

There are many factors that you may want to take in to consideration such as:

• Size

• Location

• Price

• Academic quality

• Campus safety

• Housing availability

• Quality of life

• Sports

• Greek life

• And many many more!!!!

The most important thing that will help you choose the right school is the way that it feels to you when you step on campus. You might be surprised that the most picturesque, "perfect" school in the country could feel impersonal while a smaller, unusual campus feels like home. Be observant and make sure that you consider both the facts and your gut feeling.

Unfortunately, it is virtually impossible to visit every single college in the country. Luckily, there are many resources in place for students who want to learn more about different schools. Check college websites for virtual campus tours!

There are also many websites that will help you get an overview of different colleges. The following are just a few that you may want to investigate:

• College Board MatchMaker - This comprehensive tool from the College Board's Big Future allows you to choose your preferences in categories such as size, location, academic programs, and much more in order to suggest colleges that you may be interested in. The College Board also provides a detailed profile of each school.

• Niche - Create a list by searching colleges by type, size, major, test scores, etc. including trade schools and community colleges.

• Western Undergraduate Exchange Colleges - Search 2 and 4 year colleges in the western U.S. with tuition discounts for California residents.

• Princeton Review Counselor-O-Matic - Submit information about your personal educational accomplishments, testing scores, activities, and school preferences to generate a list of appropriate colleges. You can then request brochures for more information.

• YouniversityTv - This website features thorough, third-party video tours of every major college in the United States. The videos cover aspects such as academics, admission, student life and activities, and much more. They also offer a college matching service, allowing you to fill out some questions about your college preferences and providing suggestions based upon your answers.

• Schools in the USA- View and compare many different schools. You can search according to region, academic interests, and name. You can also request information from these schools and take virtual tours.

Use the College Search Grid below to help compare different schools.