As a rising senior, I am faced with the daunting task of finding the right college. With thousands of options across the country, it can be quite challenging to find that one special school where you can find your niche. How do you determine whether you want to attend a large state university or a small liberal arts college? What types of schools can you get into? This is quite tedious and a challenging process. Nonetheless, it can be done!
Here are a couple tips as you begin your search:
• It is crucial that you begin this search early. The ideal time to start discussing colleges should be around the end of your junior year. Start discussing personal preferences with your counselor. Some things to consider when choosing an institution include location, size, campus feel, and the types of programs they offer undergraduates.
• Make a list of the colleges that intrigue you and can see yourself attending. Try to narrow down a list to about 7-10 schools. Then, begin planning visits to these schools. Campus visits can be of great assistance. You can not only get a campus feel, but you can also talk with undergraduate students there and ask them questions. If you can’t see yourself attending a school and feel out of place, there’s no point in paying an application fee and apply.
• Try to pick a subject that you may want to pursue in college. If you excel in the math and science departments, you may want to check out schools with strong engineering programs. If you’re interested in pursuing a law degree, search for schools with strong political science programs.
• Prospective students should also look into the requirements of each school. Be realistic and determine how prestigious of a school you can get into. Also, many selective schools have supplements. If many of the schools you wish to apply have supplements, you may want to start fairly early in filling out your applications so you do not feel overwhelmed in the fall.
• Begin thinking about which teachers would give you good recommendations. Consider the classes you did well in and which teachers know you the best. Also, you should take into account which subjects are important to the college you are applying to. If you’re applying to MIT, does it make sense to load up on English recommendations? Probably not.
• Take a look at the Mid 50% of test scores of the schools that interest you. If you fall below this mark, you should consider retaking these standardized tests. While these tests are not the end all be all, these scores are valuable pieces of information that college admissions officers do value.
Hopefully I’ve helped you a bit in your college search. The most important piece of advice I could give prospective students is to begin your search early. Begin this process early so you can get the most out of your senior year. College applications will take up a good chunk of time in the fall unless you start to tackle this challenge now. As for now, good luck in your college search!
Sensationalcubs77
