Looking for a College?

A handy checklist

Where Do I Begin?

You should begin by taking an inventory of your interests and needs. Things to think about are your academic interests and strengths, athletic interests, extracurricular interests. Think about your preferences for college size, location, and distance from your home.

Try making two lists; the first list is the Must Have list of those items that you most desire in a college or university. The second list is the Would Like to Have list that includes the programs and qualities you desire in a college or university but can also live without. Your list might look something like this:

Must Have

English program

History program

Soccer team

Study abroad program in Spain

Internship program

On-campus housing

Scholarships

Would Like to Have

Within 300 miles of my home

Sororities

School in a small town

Crew team

Can bring my car

Or it might look something like this:

Must Have

Literary magazine

Student newspaper

Scholarships

Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC)

Financial Aid programs

Access to skiing areas

Would Like to Have

Study abroad

Tutoring

Choir

Once you have your initial interest/needs list, there are a lot of resources out there to help you find the right school. You can begin by logging on to Internet sites and searching for those items on your Must Have and Would Like to Have lists. Stop by www.petersons.com (Petersons Thomson Learning Center) and www.embark.com (Embark.com); both sites have search engines that enable you to find colleges with your interests. You can also use college guidebooks produced by Barron’s, Petersons, and the Princeton Review. Your high school guidance office will have these and many other guidebooks to check out. And of course don’t forget your high school guidance counselor she can provide you with a wealth of information on finding the right college.

Once you’ve found the places that offer everything (or nearly everything) that you are interested in, visit their websites. If you like what you see, call them up and request a packet of materials. (You can also usually do this by visiting their website and filling out a request for materials form.)

Assuming that you read through the brochures and visited the websites and like what you see, it is now time to move on to the next step visiting campuses. If you decide that you don’t like what you see or aren’t sure, then it is time to do a little more searching.

Visiting Campus

The campus visit is perhaps the most important part of any college search. Sure it’s great to read the college brochures and visit the websites, but it’s during a campus visit that you really get to know a place.

To schedule a campus visit, call the Admissions Office at the college or university you want to visit. They will explain their visit policies (some institutions offer interviews, some group information sessions,

some require auditions for specialized programs, etc.) and their visit schedule. You can either make an appointment during that first call, or you can call back once you have discussed the options with you parents.

Expect to experience some or all of the following during your visit: campus tour, interview/information session, meeting with financial aid, class visit, meeting with a professor, meeting with an athletic coach, meal in the dining hall, overnight in the residence hall. Some students may visit for just a campus tour and interview and others may visit overnight. Choose a schedule of activities that you are comfortable with and enjoy your time on campus!

The visit is an important opportunity for you to learn more about a school; note that it is an equally important opportunity for the school to learn more about you. Be yourself, relax, and try to make a good impression (chances are if you are trying, you will!). As far as dress is concerned, there is no real formula for success here other than common sense wear something that makes the impression you want to make.

For many students, a campus visit is the most informative part of the search process. So often a student will say that it was the visit to campus that helped make the final choices. It is about feeling comfortable, excited, motivated, and challenged in a place. When you’ve visited the right places, you will absolutely know that feeling!

Once you’ve wrapped up this part of the process, you should have a list of four or five colleges or universities to which you are going to apply.

Applying!

Now that you’ve figured out where you are going to apply to college, it’s time to start filling out those applications. Get ready! This part of the process isn’t meant to be hard; it is time-consuming so be prepared that amidst your homework, you are going to have to make time to get your applications done.

Here are the top ten things to keep in mind when filling out the application and applying to college:

Don’t send your application in AFTER the admissions deadline. Some schools will consider your file after the deadline date, and some won’t. Why take that chance?

Be sure to submit all of the requested support materials (SAT I, SAT II, ACT scores, transcripts, recommendations, portfolios, essays) for your file. Schools simply cannot make decisions if you’ve not submitted the material they requested.

Take some time to think about your college essay(s). Know that a college essay is as much about proper form and grammar as it is about content. Use the skills you learned in senior English!

Neatness does count. So put away the sandwich and chocolate milk and concentrate when you are filling out the form.

A typed application is nice though a neatly printed application is usually acceptable. Contact your schools to see if they have a preference. And know that some schools prefer to receive their applications on-line.

Make sure that you ask the right teachers for recommendations those who will give you a GOOD recommendation.

If the essay topic is the same on more than one application, then you can use the same essay. It is okay to recycle a well-written essay.

Don’t forget to include the application fee. And if you cannot afford the fee, talk to your guidance counselor about The College Board’s fee waiver program.

Never misrepresent information in your application file. Discovery is generally met with a rejection letter.

Remember that your application is a representation of you and in some cases is the admissions staff’s first chance to meet you. Make sure your file represents you well!

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