As all seniors and many underclassmen know, it’s college application season. While the seniors are focused on filling applications, the underclassmen may be wondering some of the following things:
– How do they know where to apply?
– Why are certain schools more popular than others?
-What is different about each each school?
If this is you, then this article will give you a guide of things to look for in a school that can help you form a good college list.
1. Academics:
At the end of the day, the college you go to is where you will receive your job training, so it is important that you look at schools that have the program or major you want to complete. This may seem unnecessary but remember that not all schools have the basics. Some schools do not have certain programs that may be standards for others such as engineering on psychology. Additionally, some schools have more concentrated versions of some majors such as clinical psychology rather than just psychology.
2. Environment:
Considering a university/college is where you will study and presumably live for 4 years or as long as your degree may take. It is important that you are comfortable with your space and the environment on campus. If you are strongly for or against living in a city environment, take this into account. Additionally take into account the size of the school. Larger institutions are often coupled with larger class sizes and less individual attention from advisors. Resource and opportunity priority may be given to upperclassmen and graduate students at larger institutions but smaller institutions may not have many resources at all. All of these are important factors to consider as well as dorms if you plan on living on campus.
Hint: not all dorms have air conditioning.
3. Economics:
For some this factor is the most important of all because student loan debt is real. Some institutions match 100% of demonstrated need and others do not so looking at the financial aid and scholarship policies of institutions is very important. For example, many schools do not have merit scholarships while others have a limited number of full rides. Additionally, it is important to look at external scholarships and fill out the FAFSA early to receive as much government aid as possible. Lastly, look at whether schools will accept AP and Dual Enrollment credits since this could save you time and money.
At the end of the day, you may not find a perfect fit in any college or institution but when examining these factors, hopefully you will find the best possible fit for you.
To all the seniors, good luck during application season and to all the underclassmen, its never to early to start looking at your options for the future.
