Use MyCollegeCalendar.org to search for
things like: College and University admissions, information, course schedules,
contacts or admission guides and you will get the information only from the
college or university you selected. Choose your state and start researching
all the schools in that region.
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. |
