Selecting A College Begins With Selection Criteria
Many students blindly launch into a search for the right college. The result is that you will usually select a school that is incompatible with your targeted major or lifestyle. Thus, taking the time to develop selection criteria can help you avoid these pitfalls, as well as others, while selecting a college or university.
Selection criteria differ from one person to the next. Each student has a distinct set of likes, dislikes, and needs. Therefore, your individual requirements should be considered when you set out to find a college. The basic selection criteria can be sorted into these four categories:
· academics
· financial aid
· school characteristics
· college life and beyond
To find a college that will fit your needs, you have to consider some of the criteria suggestions in each of these categories. Use them to help you decide which college warrants further consideration.
The academics category includes everything from majors, research specialties, and opportunities to qualify as international students. You may also look at class offerings and even familiarize yourself with the grading scale. Information on the faculty in a particular college or university is often available as well. Students with specific talents or areas of interest should document those items for each potential college choice. You should not waste time on colleges that do not fit your academic criteria.
Financial aid is important in your search for a college. For many students, this aspect of financial aid is sometimes the deciding factor; for others, it is a minor detail. When ranking a school based on financial aid, also consider the total cost of attending that school. Does the financial aid offer appear to cover not only college tuition and fees, but also meals, housing, and transportation? Look into the cost of living in surrounding areas, especially if you plan to live off-campus. In addition, a private school may require more out-of-pocket expenses than a public school. Whatever the case, know your ability to pay before categorizing a college or university.
Within the area of school characteristics, you should consider several factors. The college is more than the buildings and halls contained within its walls. Consider the following areas:
· School size Smaller schools are usually more personal, but larger schools can offer you more program choices and opportunities.
· Student-to-teacher ratio Again, smaller schools will generally offer a more personalized experience than you will get in a larger school.
· Type of college or university Compare technical/community schools to four-year institutions. Also included in this category are demographics, such as religion, ethnicity, and other areas of interest. Examples of these are traditionally black colleges, art institutes, and Christian colleges.
· Geography Geography includes climate (Miami vs. Minneapolis), landscape (majestic mountain ranges or flat plains), and urban and rural settings.
You can find information on school characteristics online and in the information packets that each college sends to you. However, you may still have to perform some research outside of the usual. This is where campus visits to chosen colleges come in. You have the opportunity to sample the college first-hand. You will find this information very useful in selecting a college or university.
The college experience offers more than a chance at a higher education. Attending college also gives you the opportunity to socialize and network with people of similar or very different interests. Factors to consider here include: social groups, such as fraternities and sororities, clubs, extracurricular activities, and even off-campus entertainment or social hangouts. You should record your observations during your campus visit, which should describe details about the town in which the college is located.
The selection criteria should be a part of the worksheet that you use to organize your college search. Create some sort of value system, so that colleges who best match your criteria are marked more favorably than those that are not a match. In the end, you should be able to come up with a ranked list of potential colleges or universities to suit you.