Finding Your Perfect Match
Finding the Right School for You
Apart from finding a school with your intended major, there are many other factors to think about. Do you want to go away or stay home? Do you want to be a big fish in a little pond? What is your financial plan? All of the questions will be enormous factors in the school you will eventually attend. Ultimately, you want to find a school that will best suite you financially, socially and structure.
Academic Compatibility
You’ll want to find an academic environment that doesn’t leave you feeling bored or in over your head, so it’s important to consider the
statistics. Compare your grades and test scores to the average students admitted to each school in which you are interested. Every
school publishes data from the previous year’s admission, and knowing how you stack up with the competition will help you make a
realistic college list once it’s time to apply.
- Dream schools: colleges where your test scores and grades may be considered at or just below the average admitted student.
- Competitive schools: your grades and test scores fall above or well within the average.
- Safety schools: your grades and test scores are well above the average for students admitted.
Location
When it comes to location, the three aspects you should consider are climate and geography, neighborhood, and distance from
home. You may already have an idea of where you’d like to spend your education, but don’t just rely on those pretty brochures or slick
commercials to get an accurate picture of a school’s campus environment. Colleges put their best faces forward in marketing materials,
so first figure out what’s important to you and then do the research to find the right fits.
- Climate and Geography: When researching schools, it’s important to find out what the weather is while school is in session, since your sunny summer visit may not be an accurate portrayal of what it’ll be like to actually live on campus fall through spring.
- Neighborhood: The community surrounding a college campus helps determine the overall vibe of the school. Urban, rural, suburban college town: a school’s location affects the life of the campus. What kinds of resources—shopping, restaurants, nightlife—are available in the neighborhood? Will you feel safe on campus and in the surrounding community? Is there enough going on off- and on-campus, or will you be bored on the weekends? Maybe you don’t want the distractions of a big city or you prefer a quieter environment to concentrate on your studies. Can you afford to bring your car or bike to college or will you need to rely on public transportation? Asking yourself these questions as you research schools will help you figure out what kind of campus neighborhood will best suit your needs and personality.
- Distance from home: Another factor you’ll need to consider is how close to home you’d like to be. Do you want to live at home and commute, be close enough to make it home for dinner on a weekday, drive home on the weekends to do your laundry, make monthly visits, or only get home for the holidays? Get a realistic sense of the distance and consider how often you’ll want to make that six-hour drive or three-hour flight—and whether you’ll be able to afford to do so.
Size
Since the size of a campus will influence your college experience, it’s important to consider the pros and cons of each and then decide
which is the best fit for you.
| Undergrad Population | Pros | Cons |
| Small (under 2,500) | – Low student/teacher ratio; get to know your professors easily in small classes – Expected participation in class – Easy to get involved in campus organizations – Everyone knows everyone | – Not as much diversity as a larger school – Fewer opportunities for research, study abroad, or specialized majors – Everyone knows everyone |
| Medium (2,500- 7,500) | – Still small enough to establish relationships with professions – More majors and specializations available that at a smaller school – More diversity of organizations, courses, and student body | – Advising system will probably not be as personalized as at a smaller school – Larger class sizes – Some classes may be taught by graduate students |
| Large (7,500+) | – Great diversity of majors, activities, special programs and student body – Possibility of major stadium sporting events – Access to more research facilities and bigger libraries | – Large class sizes and littler or no interaction with professors or graduate student instructors – Students must be more independent and able to advocate for themselves – Stiff competition for coveted internships or research positions |
Campus Lifestyle
Colleges, like people, have unique personalities, so take some time to get to know the reputation of the schools in which you’re interested.
You’re going to learn a lot outside, as well as inside the classroom, so choose schools where you can really see yourself getting involved,
making friends, and having an impact on campus. Some schools are known for their indomitable spirit, where the social scene revolves
around that week’s athletic event. Other campuses boast a healthy level of political and social activism. Some schools identify themselves
with a particular religious, cultural, or ethnic group. There are campuses that boast cutting-edge research and technology, campuses that
are world-renowned for theater or music performances, and many are known for their thrilling Greek life.
Doing Your Research
Do the research: To get started researching schools, visit their respective websites. Most school sites have an admissions section, and
many will offer virtual tours of the campus and the opportunity to email the admissions office or current students to get some of your
questions answered. It’s also a good idea to invest in a college guidebook or if you are short on cash, check one out at your high school
guidance office or the local library. These references are updated annually and feature detailed information about thousands of universities
and some even include student perspectives or ratings on each school.
Use social networking sites like Facebook or Twitter to talk to current students, and check out campus videos on YouTube. There are also
some great websites for researching colleges run by notable companies that offer college searches free of charge. Be wary of anyone
charging a fee for basic search information; you should be able to find any information you need without having to pay for it.
- Local college fairs: Check with your high school guidance office to see a schedule of local college fairs.
- Regional and high school visits by admissions reps: Many schools send admissions officers to different cities to visit high schools and lead information sessions. Check with your guidance counselor to see which schools are scheduled to visit and inquire with admissions offices to find out if information sessions are planned for your city. The most effective means of getting an impression of a school is to actually visit. Sit in on an admissions information session, take a campus tour, and schedule an overnight visit in a current student’s dorm room. You’ll get a firsthand look at campus life, and you can ask students, professors, and admissions officers any questions you may have about their experiences and the application process.
Definitely make a point to visit any nearby colleges that you’re interested in attending, but for those campuses a bit farther away you’ll
need to do some advance planning. Your school may organize a college tour over spring break or summer vacation, so be sure to ask
your high school guidance counselor about that possibility. Talk to your parents about making a family vacation out of a college tour and
maybe even bring a friend with you. Some colleges offer summer programs for high school students, so consider enrolling in a program
and visiting other colleges in the area during the summer session.
Online Resources
- College Board: bigfuture.collegeboard.org
- College Scorecard: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov
- National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC): www.nacanet.org
- Go College Now: gocollegenow.org
Yes- This is Overwhelming!
Even if it all seems overwhelming right now, the more you research you do will make it easier to narrow down that list and make that final decision of where to apply and ultimately where to attend.
Remixed From:
Shaw, Michael, and Jaye F. Fenderson. “First- Generation: A Guide to College.” First Generation Films LLC, 2015, https://gocollegenow.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/First-Generation-Companion-Curriculum.pdf.
