The College Selection Process

1
The College Selection Process

• Presented by The PHS School Counseling Department

2
First Steps

• Begin thinking about the factors that are
  important for you to have in a college.

• Distance from home
• Cost
• Social Activities
• Sports
• Strong Academics
• Size of the campus
• Study Abroad programs etc

3
Factor 1 Size of the Campus

• Ask yourself
• Would I prefer to attend a smaller school with
  small class sizes?
• Would I prefer to attend a large school with
  large lecture style classes?
• Small under 3,000 students
• Large between 10,000-12,000 students

4
What difference does it make?

• Small Schools
• Smaller class sizes
• Increased likelihood of closer working
  relationship with professors (good for future job
  recommendations)
• More opportunity to contribute to class
  discussion.

• Larger Schools
• Bigger course selection
• More likely to be more resources available to
  students
• May be more well-known (UCLA or University of
  Michigan)
• Easier to blend in with the crowd

5
Factor 2 Location, Location, Location

• Ask Yourself
• How far from home would you like to be?
• Is climate a factor?
• Do you prefer rural or urban settings?
• Rural- more of a town atmosphere, less social
  activities, may have more access to outdoor
  activities like hiking and skiing.
• Urban- More access to museums, restaurants, and
  other social activities. City atmosphere means
  less outdoor opportunities

6
Factor 3 Program Pretzel

• Be sure to consider schools that carry the
  program or programs that you are considering for
  a college major.
• How would I access this information?
• What if I do not know what I want to study just
  yet?

7
Factor 3 Program Pretzel cont.

• Academic Standards
• What level of academic competition are you
  interested in?
• Do you prefer traditional instruction (lecture,
  book work) or innovative teaching styles?
• How involved is technology in the schools
  curriculum?
• How valuable is a degree from this school?

8
Factor 4 Social Climate

• Coed or boys/girls only school?
• Does the school have a specific Religious
  affiliation? (Christian, Jewish etc)
• Does the school have a specific ethnic
  affiliation that is important to you (HBCUs)
• Level of Diversity
• Political atmosphere liberal vs. conservative

9
Factor 5 Social Opportunity

• Sports
• Intramural, competitive, Division I sports
• Clubs Campus Activities
• Student Government, Dance Team, Theatre Club etc
• Greek Life
• Study Abroad
• programs

10
Factor 6 Campus Facilities

• Contemporary vs. Historic Campuses
• Student center/student union
• Athletic facilities
• Dorm life is it for you? Are there alternative
  living arrangements?
• Dining facilities
• Transportation services
• Career Development Center
• Academic Support Services
• Innovative equipment/facilities
• Open vs. closed campuses (Large vs. small)
• Safety Concerns

11
Factor 7 Cost

• Tuition Costs
• Public vs. Private
• Community College vs. 4 Year College
• Consider the possibility of grants/scholarships
  from the college
• Financial Aid- Expected Family Contribution

12
Factor 8 Meeting Admission Requirements

• What are admission requirements?
• GPA
• ACT/SAT Scores
• SAT Subject tests required?
• Extra-curricular involvement
• When looking at a college, ask yourself what
  type of student does this college/university
  generally admit?

13
Factor 8 cont.

• What are colleges generally looking for in an
  applicant?
• Solid academic scores
• Challenging course work
• Decent SAT/ACT Scores
• Extra-curricular
• involvement
• Volunteerism
• Employment history
• Well developed writing skills

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How to Narrow the Search

• Online browsing- Comparison shopping
• Pros and Cons List- Narrow to a max. of 5
• Meeting with college admissions counselors
• Speaking with current college students
• Visiting college campuses
• Handouts
• Campus visit dos and donts
• What to ask while visiting college campuses

15
Ask For Help

• If you have any questions about the college
  selection process, please contact your school
  counselor for assistance.

16
Resources
Thank you for coming!!

• Hansen, Randal (2008). Choosing a College
  Thats Right for You Retrieved 11, November,
  2008 from http//www.quintcareers.com/choosing_a_
  college.html.
• Collegeboard.com (2008).College matchmaker.
  Retrieved 11, November, 2008 from
  http//collegesearch.collegeboard.com/search/adv_t
  ypeofschool.jsp
• Army National Guard (2008). Guide to paying for
  your college education, fast track your future.
  Uniformed Services Almanac, Inc.