Step 2: Make a List
Making Your List: After you have you have identified your priorities in Step 1, you are now ready make your initial college list.
There are many college search engines to help you generate a general list of colleges. Below are three popular search engines. Using their filters of type of college, potential major, and location you can get an initial list of colleges. You will need to go more in depth with other filters including degree type, selectivity, tuition, student population, setting, and housing among others to get a more manageable list.
Another good way to generate a list of schools is to use "Scattergrams" on Naviance. When you look up a school you can click on "overlap" to see which additional schools FHS students have applied to in the past.
Please note that by using only one or two filters, you will get a larger list and if you use too many filters you will get a very small list. It is best to begin by using only 2-3 filters.
College Search Engines
College Board This is the most comprehensive search engine. It has the most filters and includes career information.
Peterson's This is a good general search engine.
Naviance Naviance contains a variety of search engines and also contains scattergrams of Fairview college acceptance.
More Information on using Naviance for College Search
Naviance uses historical Fairview student data (test scores and GPA) to produce acceptance comparisons. Please be aware that colleges accept students based on a holistic application that includes essays, extracurricular activities, athletics, voice/musical performance, etc. These attributes are NOT reflected in the comparisons. Use the histories, graphs, and lists as just one more piece of information to help you with your college choices.
Naviance for College Research
To use Naviance for college research, click here and follow the instructions below:
Click on the colleges tab and view the choices under college research.
Use SuperMatch college search to search for college by specific search criteria, including Location, Majors, Scores, Tuition, etc. Explore the site by entering your specific filters.
Use college match to view colleges looking for students who have similar GPA's and test scores as you. Scroll down to view a list of colleges that have accepted students like you.
Use college compare to compare your GPA and standardized test scores to averages of Fairview students accepted by certain colleges. If you only have a PSAT score, this is converted into an equivalent SAT score for comparison purposes.
Use college resources to view directories for more information about College Search, Test Prep, Financial Aid, College Athletics and the Military.
Use college maps to view maps of colleges that have accepted our students, colleges where our students are attending, and the top 20 most popular colleges where our students have applied.
Use scattergrams to view a graph of how you compare to our students who have applied to a particular college over the last two years. The graph plots acceptance results by decision plan.
Use acceptance history to view statistics regarding Fairview students who have applied, were admitted and enrolled to a particular college over the last 7 years.
Update Naviance: Colleges I'm Thinking About
(When you complete this step Naviance will notify you of college rep visits - see below for more information)
Click on the colleges tab.
Under my colleges, click on colleges I'm thinking about
Click on + add to this list and use look up to locate college names.
Click Add Colleges.
Once you add college names to your Colleges I'm Thinking About list, you will receive automatic notifications when college reps come to visit Fairview from the campuses on your list. These notifications go to the email address you use to login to Naviance. You should also check the College Rep Visit Calendar for these and other visits from college admissions officers