Finding the College that Fits

Many students have just taken their SATs or ACTs. As they anxiously await their scores, students are thinking ahead to looking at colleges. Now, more than ever before, the college application process is complicated.  In these tough economic times, the cost of college is now a major factor in deciding where to send an application. 

Students and their parents should take their time when making the decision as to where they should invest their time and money - and going to college costs a lot of money! Students will be spending seven months out of the year for four (or more) years at college, so it is important to avoid making costly mistakes.

As students begin to explore their options and look at colleges, they should ask the admissions officer some of the following questions:

1. What kind of student is best suited here?
2. How many students or what percent of your accepted students are offered admission by early action or early decision?
3. What percentage of the student body lives on campus?
4. Is this a commuter school (suitcase school)?
5. What percentage of the students (outside of work study) find jobs on campus?
6. What are you looking for in an essay?  Is there any topic to avoid?
7. How many students are awarded scholarship?  Are they just for freshmen? Are the scholarships spread out over the four years or are they a one-time thing? Are they all need-based, merit-based or both?
8. Are there any new majors?
9. Is there any new building going on or planned in the near future? (shows they have money)
10. If you have any pre-professional programs that partner with other colleges do you have to apply to both colleges?  If scholarship is associated with one of those programs does it apply for both colleges?
11. What percent of the students who graduated last year are working and what percent  have gone on to higher degrees?

Do some research before visiting the campus. Use more than one resource to get information about the college. Find out the acceptance rate and the retention rate of the school.  The lower the acceptance rate, the more difficult it will be to get accepted.  The higher the retention rate, the more likely the students are to complete their degree at that institution.

As you can see there is a lot to do in just visiting a campus - this is just one step!  For more information, Oxford Learning is holding a free seminar in Getting into College on March 20th at the Marlboro High School auditorium. If you cannot make that event, we are available to talk with other PTAs, Temple Congregations, Church organizations, and even home parties.  Contact us at 732-972-3330 or manalapan@oxfordlearning.com.