Choosing the right college for you: to find the right college out of nearly 4,000 choices, you have to really know what you want, and then carefully weigh what schools have to offer - Selecting A School

Careers and Colleges, Sept-Oct, 2003 by Nancy Fitzgerald

Check out the average cost of flights between potential college cities and home. You may find that even though one college is farther away from home than the other, flights are cheaper.

Also note that venturing far from home may make you more attractive to colleges. Many schools try to build a diverse class--and that includes geographic diversity. Yale gets tons of applications from New York and Los Angeles, but fewer from, say, Boise, Idaho.

LOCATION

Have I ever been away from my family for an extended period of time? [] Yes [] No

If yes, did I enjoy it? [] Yes [] No

How often would I like to see my family during the school year? --

How smart am I, really?

Last year, 19,609 high school seniors paid $60 for the privilege of applying to Harvard. Only 2,066 were admitted. Don't waste your time and money on long shots. Be realistic about your academic abilities and look for a school that marches them.

"People with 1000 on their SATs don't get into Harvard," says Michael London, an adviser with College Coach, an educational counseling service in Massachusetts. "There are almost no exceptions. If you're not realistic, you'll be stressed and unhappy when you don't get in."

QUALIFICATIONS

My GPA: --

My SAT/ACT score: --

Have I taken AP or advantage classes?

[] Yes [] No

Which courses?

How do I learn best?

Some students are happiest learning on their own, soaking up information in big lecture halls and going off to read and study by themselves. Others do best in small, seminar--style classes with plenty of interaction with teachers and other students. What type of learner do you think you are? You'll want to look for an environment that nurtures your learning style.

LEARNING STYLE

Do I often participate in class?

[] Yes [] No

Do I like part of small study groups?

[] Yes [] No

Do I perform better when a teacher keeps close tabs on me?

[] Yes [] No

How will this compare to high school?

Think about what you liked--and disliked--about high school to help you figure out what to look for in a college. Erin Boughton, 24, graduated from a small high school in Janesville, Wisconsin, where everybody knew everybody else--something she wanted to change when she went to college. So she decided on Minnesota State University at Mankato.

"I wanted to meet people from different ethnic backgrounds, with different values and outlooks on life," she says. "I wanted to be somewhere that I wouldn't be a number, and yet not everyone would know me."

EXPECTATIONS

The best part of my high school experience: --

How I hope college is different: --

What are my career plans?

If you've got your heart set on a specialized career, like engineering or physical therapy, you'll need to find a school that offers the right programs. If you want to be an investment banker, find out if banks recruit on campus. If you want to be a doctor or a lawyer, keep in mind that getting into a professional school is extremely competitive. "Ask admission officers about acceptance rates to medical and law schools," advises London.

Of course, if you are undecided about your career plans, you should consider colleges that offer a wide array of academic disciplines.