Arbor View High School Counseling

There is no one perfect college for anybody. Instead, for each student there are several colleges where he/she would feel very comfortable. It is important for students to realize that a great college for their best friend may not be the best college for themselves. The college search doesn't have to begin and end with the Ivies and the name brand schools. There are many schools out there to choose from — some known and some less known, all worthy of your attention. Here's some advice for trying to find the school that works for you.

 

The following are some factors which students should consider in selecting a college:

• Location - In which states would you like to attend college? Do you want the campus to be located in a large city (urban) or in the open country (rural)?

• Distance - Will you live at home? Do you want to be close enough so you can drive home on the weekends? Are you comfortable being very far away and only coming home once or twice during the school year?

• Size/Enrollment - Are you going to be most comfortable at a college about the size of your high school or smaller? How would you like to be at a college with more than 30,000 students? Most good liberal arts colleges have a population of fewer than 4,000 for a reason; college is a time to explore, and a smaller community is more conducive to internal exploration. It is not the number of people, but the people themselves and the kind of community in which you will learn that really matters. Many large universities have established “honors colleges” within the larger university for these same reasons.

• Type of Institution - Is a two year or four year college best suited for your future goals? Should you attend a technical college or perhaps a liberal arts one?

• Curriculum - Which colleges offer the major you are most interested in? What are the best colleges for your major? However, you don’t need to pick a major to pick a college.  Very few high-school students have enough information or experience to choose a major. You need the variety and depth of

college coursework to determine your interest and aptitude. Most college students change their minds two or three times before they settle on a major, and they can still graduate in four years! Being undecided is a good thing and will leave you open to more academic experiences.

• Admission Statistics - Which colleges best match your academic qualifications in terms of grade point average and standardized test scores? Be informed about your academic profile and compare it to the profile of the most recently admitted and enrolled class for the colleges you are investigating. Check the college admission Web site for this information and contact them if you can’t find it. Ask your high-school counselor for additional advice and guidance as it applies to your school.

• Social & Political Climate - Do you have enough self-discipline to be academically successful at a college where students are very active socially? Would you feel most comfortable at a college where the majority of students are liberal or conservative?

• Religious Affiliation - Are you interested in attending a college with a specific religious affiliation? Would you prefer to attend a secular college?

• Diversity - Are you interested in attending a Historically Black college? Would you like to attend a college with a significant minority percentage?

• Cost - Is it best to stay in-state because of the lower tuition cost? Which colleges offer the best financial aid? Where is my best chance of receiving scholarships to attend that college? However, if you make the assumption that you cannot afford college based on the “sticker price” of tuition, you will miss out. It is difficult to talk about money, but if you investigate all the options and ask for help and advice, you will find affordable choices. Online resources, as well as financial aid workshops sponsored by high schools in local communities, are widely available to get you started. College and university financial aid Web sites offer useful information and links as well. Investigate early and ask for help.

 

Remember the most important factor in choosing a college is fit:

Choosing a college because your friends are going there or because of where it ranks on a list does not take into account who you are and who you will become. College is a match to be made, not a prize to be won. Finding a good fit requires time and thoughtfulness.

Visiting college Web sites and learning about what events take place, who visits as guest speakers, and how to get in touch with current students and faculty is a good way to supplement a campus visit — or to decide if you want to spend the time and money on a visit. Check a school's Web site to find the admissions officer assigned to your region of the country. Send them an e-mail to ask about getting in touch with students from your area or identifying a few with interests similar to yours.

When you visit, try to build in time to sit in on classes, eat in the dining hall and hang around in the student center or other high-traffic areas. That will help you imagine yourself as part of the community. Talk to a few students and ask if they would make the same college choice if they had to do it again. Go back to the first item in this list as you consider the information you’ve collected about the colleges. You will have great options!

 

RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES:

One of the best ways to measure the quality of a college or university and the satisfaction of its students is by learning the percentage of students who return after the first year and the percentage of entering students who remain to graduate. Comparatively good retention and graduation rates are indicators that:

• a college and a majority of its students are well-matched

• sufficient classes and academic programs are available

• responsible academic, social, and financial support systems exist for most students

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Make an appointment to meet with your counselor to discuss all of these options and which ones might be best for you.