Deciding which U.S. colleges to apply to is a real challenge. It involves several different considerations. Then determining WHICH college to attend after hearing back from the respective admissions offices requires careful thought. The key word is “fit”: Does the school fit your academic and professional needs? Can you get in? Can you afford it? Would you be happy here? Here are some ways to think about choosing a college:
DO NOT HESITATE to contact the college directly and ask questions. They will be happy to hear
from you and will get you all the information you need. GOOD LUCK!
Questions about this post: Email robert@designsonlearning
Does the college offer the program I want?
Go to the college’s website and look at the program of interest to you. Does the college offer it as a major (or minor)? Examine the course offerings. Peruse the list of faculty members in the relevant academic department. Do their areas of interest correspond to your own? Feel free to email a faculty member (You can find their email on the college website.) to ask specific questions about the program. Most will be happy to respond to you.
What are my chances of gaining admission to the college?
You can check several different sources to get a sense of your chances of acceptance. Consider the overall rate of acceptance (See www.AcceptanceRate.com) and the track record of the institution. For very specific numbers, consult the Common Data Set: do a web search using “Common data set and the name of the college you are interested in” OR go to https://commondataset.org.
Is the college one I am confident I can succeed in?
From information on the college’s website and from any other sources of information you may have consulted (e.g., comments on the web; contact you may have had with an enrolled student or alumni), ask yourself whether you believe you would be happy at this school.
Although they should not be of utmost importance, consider the location and climate of the school. Can you envision yourself there? Answer honestly. (For different views and comparisons between and among colleges, consult www.collegeconfidential.com).
Although they should not be of utmost importance, consider the location and climate of the school. Can you envision yourself there? Answer honestly. (For different views and comparisons between and among colleges, consult www.collegeconfidential.com).
What are students like at the college? Are they the kind of students I want to be around?
Read as much as you can about the school, paying particular attention to the campus culture.
Does the school have a particular reputation? What kinds of clubs does the school offer? Which are popular? Are the students highly politicized? Are the students serious? Is the school considered a “party school”? (Sources to consider are www.niche.com; www.princetonreview.com; and www.bestcolleges.com. Depending on what you are looking
for, you are sure to find a college that meets your needs among the many colleges in the U.S.
Does the school have a particular reputation? What kinds of clubs does the school offer? Which are popular? Are the students highly politicized? Are the students serious? Is the school considered a “party school”? (Sources to consider are www.niche.com; www.princetonreview.com; and www.bestcolleges.com. Depending on what you are looking
for, you are sure to find a college that meets your needs among the many colleges in the U.S.
Can I afford the college?
On each college’s website there should be a cost calculator that you can use to determine how much you can expect to pay. Of course, keep in mind that international students may not be eligible for financial aid from American colleges. (But there are a few well-endowed colleges that DO offer financial aid to international students.) You may want to consider how much debt you may accumulate over 4 years at this school and what the job prospects are like for graduates in the major you are considering.
DO NOT HESITATE to contact the college directly and ask questions. They will be happy to hear
from you and will get you all the information you need. GOOD LUCK!
Questions about this post: Email robert@designsonlearning