I was recently asked to do a seminar for the parents of high school aged students covering the topic of "Planning For and Selecting a College”. Given that I have been involved with college admission work for 22 years, I thought this would be an easy task! However, as I began to put together my outline, I realized that there isn’t a magic formula! Each student is unique; each family is unique. The goal of a successful college search is finding the college that "fits” you.
Given the uniqueness of each student and then combining that with the fact that there are over five thousand 2-and 4-year colleges and universities in the United States, it’s no wonder that so many students and their families are overwhelmed and intimidated by the college selection process!
I turned to my colleagues at ACT (yes, the same folks who administer those Saturday morning ACT tests) for assistance. ACT produces a wonderful tool for students and their parents as they begin the college selection process. ACT’s College Planning Guide, which can be found online at www.act.org/path/student/college/index.html, offers six steps to simplify college planning. With ACT’s permission, I offered the following advice to my seminar group—the seminar was a smashing success. Now, I offer the same advice to the readers of The Cincinnati/Dayton High School Graduate.
STEP 1: Know yourself and your reasons for attending college.
This step requires a good deal of introspection. You must be prepared to ask yourself several tough questions. If you are hoping to find a college that "fits you” then you must provide honest answers to these difficult questions!
1. What are your strengths?
2. What are your weaknesses?
3. Where do your interests lie (in and out of the classroom)?
4. Where do your values fall?
5. Are you seeking education for the sake of learning or are you solely interested in job preparation?
6. What type of extracurricular activities are you seeking at the college level?
7. What type of social life are you looking for?
STEP 2: Consider college characteristics.
It is important that you spend a good deal of time with this step. It will be a fruitless search if you select a college and then come to find out that it doesn’t offer the major in which you are interested!
In addition to majors offered, you should be looking for information regarding affiliation, accreditation, selectivity, costs, financial aid/scholarship availability, location (distance from home), size, campus activities & available services.
STEP 3: List, Compare and Visit Colleges
By this time, your list of college possibilities should be narrowed to a reasonable number. It is now time to examine, in detail, all of the colleges on your list. I advise students and families to create a "college comparison spreadsheet”. Your spreadsheet should contain the factors and/or questions that are important to you.
There are several different resources available to help you complete this step: college produced materials, contact with college representatives when they visit your school or at a local college night program, teachers, guidance counselors, students currently enrolled at the college, or alumni of the college who reside in your area. All of these resources are valuable and may be quite helpful. However, the most important activity is your campus visit.
Invest the time and money necessary to visit the colleges you are considering. Call the admission office and schedule an appointment. Be prepared to meet with an admission representative. Take a campus tour. Ask to meet with currently enrolled students. Visit a class. Meet with a faculty member. Finally, before you leave campus, wander around campus on your own – get a "feel” for the campus to make sure it "fits” you!
STEP 4: Apply for admission and observe all deadlines.
Hopefully, you have narrowed your choices to no more than a handful of colleges! Submit applications, fees, transcripts, standardized test results, essays and recommendations that may be required.
Observe deadlines for admission applications, scholarship applications & financial aid applications! You have put in a good deal of time researching your college choices. Don’t miss a deadline thus eliminating the college that may be the best "fit” to you!
STEP 5: Develop a plan to finance your education.
Quite frankly, this plan should be developed well before the student begins the college search process. At this point, you should be preparing your applications for scholarships and financial aid. Again, note deadlines! Be persistent. Don’t be afraid to contact the admission office or the financial aid office as questions arise.
STEP 6: Review and finalize your plans.
After financial aid awards have been received, it is time to make your selection. If there are any last minute questions, call the admission or the financial aid office. Consult with your parents, teachers, and counselors. When you make the decision, follow up with all of the colleges to which you have applied. Notify and/or pay deposits to the college of your choice. Schedule your orientation or registration date and you will be ready to enroll in the fall! As a courtesy, you should notify those colleges that you will not be attending!
If you are willing to invest the time, following ACT’s six simple steps should allow you to find the college that "fits” you! Enjoy the process and good luck!
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