Top 100 Colleges & Universities Colleges and Universities by State

List of College and University Characteristics

Below are brief descriptions of the college and university characteristics you should consider when deciding on which school to attend.

* Location – Is the college or university the “right” distance from home? Is it in the “right” setting (urban, suburban, or rural)? Is it in an area of the country you would like to experience?

* Size – Are the overall college size and individual class sizes good? Do you prefer a large campus with numerous majors, large classrooms, and a big library or a smaller campus where you will know more people and have smaller classes?

* Academics – Does the college offer the right classes in your major and minor subjects? What about other subjects of interest? Does the college offer special programs, like studying aboard and internships?

* Academic Rigor – How tough is the academic competition? Do you want to attend a college or university where students typically score high on exams and will challenge you to do your best? Would you like to attend a college with a less competitive atmosphere? Look at the freshman class’s GPA, SAT and ACT Test scores, and the high school class rankings to see the quality of your future college classmates.

* Admission Requirements – What does the college or university require for admission? What does the college look for in prospective students? What is the percentage of student applicants accepted? What are the average GPA and SAT /ACT Test scores of incoming freshman students? Do you have a chance of being accepted?

* Facilities – Are the buildings, science laboratories, and libraries modern and accessible? Where are the laundry facilities? What is located in the area surrounding the campus?

* Student Life – Are there clubs, organizations, events, etc. that you will enjoy? How is overall student life outside the classroom?

* Students – Are they friendly? Will you fit in?

* Professors – are college and university professors easy to contact? Are they helpful? Do they teach classes or do graduate students teach most of the classes?

* Campus safety – How safe is the campus? Colleges have campus police reports available for review, call the admissions office to find out how to get a copy (colleges usually have them online, but they are tough to find). How safe is the area surrounding the campus?

* Meals – How is the food in the cafeteria? Are there other on-campus restaurants or is there an on-campus deli/snack shop?

* Housing – Is housing available after your college freshman year? What condition are the residence halls in? Are the residence hall rooms big, clean, and modern?

* Greek life – Are there sororities and fraternities on campus?

* Athletics – Are there school sports and intramural sports? How good are the sports facilities?

* Transportation – Is there parking for your car? Is there public transportation available on and off campus?

* Costs – How much can you afford? What is the average amount of financial aid awards offered to students? Are financial aid awards mostly free money that you don’t have to repay (scholarships and grants) or money you must repay (loans)? (Wait until next month to see how much financial aid each college awards you.)

* Retention and Graduation Rates – What percentage of students stay at the college for all 4 years and graduate in 4 years? This tells you whether students are happy and successful at the college.

Do not hesitate to ask the opinion of your parents, high school counselor, or any student you know who is currently attending one of the colleges or universities you’re interested in.