Selecting Schools

Criteria For Considering Schools That Are Right For You 

There are a lot of things that go into choosing what kind of school you’d like to attend. For instance,

• Quality of Programming: Say you’re going to school to study film; are the schools you’re interested in known for their film program? This is important to consider before you start filling out applications!

• Location: Where you want your school to be is an important factor because if you don’t have a car, that may influence whether or not you decide to live on campus, whether or not you can try to find a commute buddy, or maybe you’re thinking you need a change of scenery and you decide not to go to a local college. Location is everything!

• Safety: Something you may need to look out for that not everyone is aware of is how safe your campus may be. You don’t want to go do laundry and find your best socks have been taken from right under your nose.

• Price: Paying tuition can deter a lot of people from going out and pursuing their careers. Even though we’ve outlined the numerous scholarship opportunities out there, sometimes college tuition can seem a little daunting. Make sure you know the sort of expenses your school of choice will be asking from you. Not only tuition costs but how much will it cost for you to have a decent meal every day? Asking questions and planning ahead will assist you in finding out what scholarships are right for you!

2 Year Colleges VS 4+ Year Universities:

A major difference between 2 year colleges and 4 year colleges are the types of courses offered; when people talk about going to s 2 year school they usually refer to getting an associate’s degree or a vocational degree. These degrees allow you to immediately join the workforce when you graduate, while a 4 year school may throw in general studies classes into your workload. These often act as prerequisites for a higher level course you may want to take in the future.

High School to College Bridge Programs

Was your final year of high school too stressful for you to apply to colleges, but you know it's something you want to do?   Do you think you want to go to college but aren't sure if the programming or the costs are right for you?  College Bridge programs are 1 year programs where you get guided wrap around support including job training and career counseling while you start taking online, college classes.

• YouthForce Launch:  If you want a bridge program to connect you with job training and career resources, you can apply to YF Launch during your senior year of HS, and the program starts the September after you graduate.  They offer the chance to enroll in technical training to start or continue earning advanced industry-recognized certifications through programs like Operation Spark, NOVAC, the New Orleans Career Center, Acadian Ambulance, and NOTEP, complete training to improve soft skills, professionalism, financial planning skills, and digital proficiency,  build a network of peers, mentors, and professionals to enhance and support their bridge year and beyond, access a paid internship, related to their training pathway and certifications, and build a career success plan that outlines feasible and achievable next steps to give participants the confidence to pursue their goals.  To apply, follow this link, create an account (unless you already applied to YouthForce, then use your existing account), and select the YouthForce Launch Application.

• Next Level NOLA: For folks who are want to go to college, but need an extra year to figure things out and improve their application status, Next Level NOLA - provided by KIPP Schools - is an academic Bridge program.   They enroll you, free of cost, in an online associate's degree program with Southern New Hampshire University in general studies or medical services (great for folks interested in doing an LVN or RN program).  They have weekly one-on-one coaching sessions, tutoring available from 9am-7pm M-F, and career training components.  If you are interested, you can submit an application here and they will contact you to talk to you more about the program.

• Trellis:  

Public VS Private Schools:

One key difference between public and private universities is the cost of tuition; private schools usually cost more because they aren’t funded by the state. Another difference is class size. Private schools usually keep a low acceptance rate and that consequently leads to smaller class sizes. One benefit of having a small class is that it can be easier to build a relationship with your professor. If out of class relationships appeal more to you though, it may be better to look toward a public institution.

HBCUs VS PWIs:

Historically Black Colleges/Universities (HBCUs) differ from Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) in a few ways, namely the fact that students feel it is easier to build relationships with professors going to an HBCU, and the courses taught take a more “hands-on and experiential” approach to learning. These student-teacher relationships may not seem as important as, say, the quality of programming, but these relationships are crucial because if you have a good relationship with your teacher it will encourage you to go to class. Not only that but if you have a situation going on that may affect your schoolwork, you will be able to communicate that with your teacher and try to reach an understanding with them.