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Who Should Follow This Page? |
Research
your Ideal College & University
Additional College Selection Factors
Think about the college characteristics that mean the most to you, such
as:
- Academic Rigor – How tough is the academic competition? Do
you want to attend a college 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 their
high school class rankings to see who your college classmates will
be.
- Location – Is the college 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?
- Admission Requirements – What does the college 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? Do
you have a chance of being accepted?
- 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?
- 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?
- Professors – Are 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 or you can go to OPE
Campus Security (fill in the “Name of institution” box,
click on "Search". Click on the college name from the list shown. Select
"Criminal Offenses", "Hate Offenses", "Arrests", ”Disciplinary Actions”, or “Fire Statistics” on the gray bar in the page center)
Regarding the area outside of the campus, you should ask a college representative, , "How safe is the area surrounding the campus?"
- Meals - How is the food in the dining hall? Are there
other on-campus restaurants or is there an on-campus deli/snack shop?
- Housing - Is housing available after your freshman
year? What condition are the dorms (residence halls) in? Are the dorm
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)?
- Retention and Graduation Rates - What percentage of
students stay at the college for all 4 years graduate in 4 years? This
tells you whether students are happy and successful at that college.
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