What I -should have- done...
Dec 18 '00
When college becomes a looming topic to think about during Junior year, everyone is going to have advice to share. Too bad I listened to pretty much none of it!
There are many aspects that should be considered when choosing the right college, which includes quality of programs, cost, distance, size, and dorming. I will highlight some of the factors important in my final list of colleges.
Run Down of Things to Think about When Choosing a College:
1. The Distance
Many kids think that college is the time to just lead your own life, and just GET AWAY from your family. However, if you're not used to being away from home, you are most likely better off with a school closer to home than one across the country despite how much you want to be on your own. I can hardly wait to get out of the house, to live on my own independently (how cool is that after 17 years of living in the same house??), so I decided I would apply to California state colleges. However, I have not been away from home for over a week in my entire life, and I thought about LIVING by myself across the nation in a state where I would probably not fit in. This idea just freaked me out, and I eliminated a lot of CA schools out of my list, adding more from the the DC area. I knew however, out-of-state was a MUST for me.
When dissecting the distance aspect of college life, think about commuting, dorming, your level of homesickness, and whether or not out-of-state is an option for you. Remember, you are spending 4 years of your life at this institution and paying a lotta $$$$ to be there, so try and make sure you make a sound choice both you and your parents can agree on.
2. The Right Size: Big? Small? Medium?
Another important in making the right college decision is taking the size of the school into account. If you come from a relatively large high school as I have, in fact, the largest in Pennsylvania, then you would probably be more accustomed on a huge campus with so many people you would get lost. However, the individual attention in the smaller campuses are important too.
For me, the size of the college did not matter. I am accustomed to the diversity and magnitude of schools, which may be, at times, overwhelming.
3. The Campus Visit
Ahhhh...yes, the campus visit. Everyone encourages you to visit all the prospective schools you're interested in to get a feel for the campus and social life. I highly recommend arranging an overnight stay in one of the dorms at a prospective college to experience a typical day at the school. Definitely, this experience will aid in your assessment of colleges right for you.
I'm sad to report that I have only visited two of the seven schools to which I have applied. This might be a bad mistake if the campuses are not exactly what they look in the brochures, but that's my fault. If I could do it all over again, I would definitely try and visit every college sooner. Of course, I can still visit those colleges, but since I already applied, I don't see much point in that.
4. Quality of Education
Now, not everyone knows what field of study they would like to pursue when they enter college - I sure have no clue. However, you have to consider if Ivys or other colleges are the kind of schools worthwhile looking into. According to your major, there are schools that have specialized programs that cater specifically to that major, which becomes very appealing and advantageous. Also, various colleges offer Honors programs that you may want to look into.
Get your money's worth! Research certain programs you are interested for each college, and compare the quality and success students have in the program of this college.
** Reminder **
During the Application Process
When you gather all your applications together, everything seems to blur together, and you become a robot filling out your name, address, high school name, ss#, list of activities, etc. But please stay focused! Step away from the applications for a moment, and think about what you really want to get out of college! Then get your act together, it's your life after all! =)
That sums up a brief overview of college planning! Good Luck and take the SAT's twice!
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Epinions.com ID:
Anniemal
|
|
Member: Annie
Location: home
Reviews written: 199
Trusted by: 70 members
About Me:
OINK! A college student trying to make sense of the world the funnest way possible!
|
|
|
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.