| Sure, you know that the best schools
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| | to them even if the price tag seems too
|
| enroll students with the best grades and
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| | high.
|
| the highest test scores. You also know
| |
| | 6. Student Population
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| that there are some college names that
| |
| | All college students are not the same.
|
| impress more on a sweatshirt. But how can
| |
| | Some schools, particularly large schools
|
| you figure out which school is right for
| |
| | and those in big cities, tend to have
|
| you? There are some important things to
| |
| | students from a wide range of ethnic,
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| consider when you decide where to apply
| |
| | socioeconomic, and religious backgrounds.
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| for and enroll in college. Many people
| |
| | Other schools, especially small schools
|
| don't spend much time thinking about
| |
| | and those in very rural locations, tend
|
| them, though, and sometimes end up
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| | to have a fairly homogeneous student
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| unhappy as a result, even at so-called
| |
| | body. Other things to think about in
|
| "great" schools. By taking the time to
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| | student population is whether most
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| think about these things now, you'll be
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| | students live at the school or commute,
|
| able to home on in what really matters to
| |
| | how old the average student is, and how
|
| you and find the fit that's right.
| |
| | many students are in the Greek system, if
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| 1. Size
| |
| | there is one.
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| Colleges come in all sizes, from a school
| |
| | 7. Majors and Requirements
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| in California that enrolls only 26
| |
| | If you know what field you want to go
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| students to schools like Pennsylvania
| |
| | into after college, it's important to
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| State, which can enroll 30,000 or more.
| |
| | make sure you go to college somewhere
|
| Which one is better? Well, that depends
| |
| | that will prepare you for your chosen
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| on you and what you're comfortable with.
| |
| | profession. Some schools are particularly
|
| Did you go to a small high school or a
| |
| | well-known for a specific major, like
|
| large one? Did you like the size of your
| |
| | pre-med or architecture. Going to one of
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| high school? Did you grow up in a city or
| |
| | these schools will put you in a great
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| a rural area? Do you like being places
| |
| | position to get a job in that area when
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| where everybody knows you, or do you like
| |
| | you graduate. If, however, like many
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| the anonymity of a crowd?
| |
| | entering freshman, you're not so sure
|
| 2. Type
| |
| | what you want to do, you should choose a
|
| All colleges are not the same. Some have
| |
| | school that will give you plenty of
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| large graduate programs and devote much
| |
| | options.
|
| of their time and resources to research.
| |
| | Some schools require students to take
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| Others enroll only undergraduates and
| |
| | classes in a wide range of areas during
|
| focus their attention on teaching and
| |
| | their first year or two. These schools
|
| learning. Some schools have a specialty
| |
| | are great for students who either want a
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| in one specific area, like engineering or
| |
| | well-rounded education or are trying to
|
| writing, while others are best known for
| |
| | figure out what area to focus on. Other
|
| giving their students a broad education.
| |
| | schools let students just dive in to
|
| Other differences include whether schools
| |
| | their chosen majors without a lot of
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| are single sex or coed, if they have a
| |
| | other requirements. These schools are
|
| religious affiliation, and whether they
| |
| | great for focused students who know what
|
| are public or private.
| |
| | they want to do and don't want to spend
|
| There are also historically black
| |
| | their time in classes that won't help
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| colleges, schools with co-op programs
| |
| | them in their major.
|
| where you earn money while going to
| |
| | 8. Athletics and Events
|
| school, and schools with large evening
| |
| | Are you a sports nut, or does the sound
|
| and part-time programs. The options
| |
| | of a marching band and the sight of a
|
| really are almost limitless.
| |
| | football uniform make you cringe? At some
|
| 3. Location
| |
| | schools, sports are the order of the day,
|
| There are colleges in every living
| |
| | the main social activity on most
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| environment you can imagine, from tiny
| |
| | students' calendars. Other schools may
|
| towns in Minnesota to the middle of New
| |
| | not have a football team at all, or may
|
| York City. If you have always lived in
| |
| | not pay much attention to it if they do.
|
| the suburbs, choosing an urban campus can
| |
| | Maybe you're really into going to live
|
| be an adventure. But after a week of
| |
| | concerts, or you love nothing better than
|
| urban noise, dirt, and rude people, will
| |
| | to go hiking in the woods. If you like to
|
| you long for a grassy campus and open
| |
| | spend your free time going to shows at
|
| space? On the other hand, if you are used
| |
| | clubs, you probably won't be happy at a
|
| to the suburbs and mall life and choose a
| |
| | small school in the countryside where few
|
| college in a rural area, will you run
| |
| | musical acts stop on tour. However, if
|
| screaming into the Student Center some
| |
| | you love to be outdoors, a campus in a
|
| night looking for noise, lights, and
| |
| | natural setting can give you just the
|
| people? Think about where you grew up and
| |
| | kind of balance you need to feel your
|
| how much of a change you want from that
| |
| | best.
|
| when you go to college.
| |
| | 9. Activities and Special Programs
|
| 4. Distance from Home
| |
| | Have you always wanted to try living in
|
| Closely tied to location is the issue of
| |
| | another country? Some colleges have
|
| how far from home you want to be. For
| |
| | special programs to help you do just
|
| some people, going to college is a chance
| |
| | that, for a semester or even a whole
|
| to explore a totally different part of
| |
| | school year. You'll usually get full
|
| the country. For others, they want to
| |
| | credit for your work overseas, plus have
|
| make sure they can have dinner with their
| |
| | the chance to learn a new language, make
|
| family once a week, or go home to do
| |
| | some new friends, and try some new food.
|
| their laundry. When you decide how far
| |
| | Or maybe you're a dancer or a journalist.
|
| you want to be from home, think about how
| |
| | You'll want to make sure you go to a
|
| likely you are to get homesick, and how
| |
| | school that not only fulfills your
|
| much money you can afford to spend in
| |
| | academic goals, but your personal ones,
|
| travel. The farther you are from home,
| |
| | too. Some schools have great arts and
|
| the less often you'll be able to visit.
| |
| | theater programs, or excellent
|
| On the other hand, with email and cell
| |
| | newspapers, giving students a chance to
|
| phones, you can still feel close to home
| |
| | be involved in extra-curricular
|
| even if you're in California and your
| |
| | activities outside their majors. Other
|
| sister is in New Jersey.
| |
| | schools focus all their attention on
|
| 5. Cost/Scholarships & Financial Aid
| |
| | great classes, but not much else.
|
| Cost is one thing that most parents think
| |
| | 10. Your Gut Feeling
|
| about when the topic of college comes up,
| |
| | Trust your instincts. If a place feels
|
| but did you know that not all colleges
| |
| | right, that's important. Similarly, if it
|
| cost the same amount? Or that there are
| |
| | just feels wrong, no matter who wants you
|
| different types of financial aid at
| |
| | to go there or how good it looks on
|
| different schools? Or that if your grades
| |
| | paper, it probably is. College is a very
|
| - or musical talent or athletic ability -
| |
| | personal choice, and after considering
|
| are good enough you could earn a
| |
| | all the other objective factors, the fact
|
| scholarship?
| |
| | of the matter is that it comes down to
|
| Public universities often offer much
| |
| | you. Visit colleges you're interested in,
|
| lower tuition rates to in-state students,
| |
| | and see how you feel walking around their
|
| but their fees to out-of-state residents
| |
| | campuses. Could you imagine yourself
|
| are usually pretty similar to private
| |
| | going to school there? Once you find a
|
| schools. Private institutions charge
| |
| | few places that you like, you'll be well
|
| everyone the same high tuition, but they
| |
| | on your way to finding the college that's
|
| often have privately-funded scholarship
| |
| | right for you.
|
| monies available, so it's worth applying
| |
| | Good luck, and happy hunting!
|
