ACADEMIC PROGRAMS
UNIVERSITY: Usually has a liberal arts college as well as several other specialized colleges. Each individual college may have its own entrance requirements.
FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE: Offers courses of study leading to a four-year Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degrees. Choices may be more limited than a university.
TWO-YEAR COLLEGE: These include community colleges, technical schools or university regional campuses. Usually offer associate degree programs which may be used as the first two years of a four-year program and/or can lead to entry level positions in the work force.
VOCATIONAL & TRADE SCHOOLS: Offer career-oriented programs lasting from a few months to a couple of years. Most do not offer courses that may be transferred to a four-year program.
AFFILIATION
Colleges may be public (funded in part by taxes), private independent, private church affiliated, or proprietary (for profit). Affiliation is a determining factor in the amount of tuition you will be charged.
SIZE
Colleges and Universities range in size from very small (fewer than 1,000 students) to very large (more than 20,000 students). It is important to choose a size where you will feel comfortable and still have flexibility in program choice, should you decide to change your major.
COMMUNITY/LOCATION
College communities may be rural, small town, suburban or urban. Location is also a factor. You will need to decide how far away from home you would like to travel. Visiting campuses is an excellent way to investigate size and location factors.
HOUSING
Colleges offer many types of housing options. Many require freshmen to live on campus, but that is not always the case. Most college communities offer various off-campus living accommodations. Students who commute from home usually live within thirty-five miles of their home. Each school has its own set of standards for commuters.
STUDENT BODY MAKE-UP
Colleges may be all male, all female, or coed. Many are made up of students from one religious denomination or ethnic group. Some are primarily residential campuses while some have a student body made up of mostly commuters.
ADMISSIONS STANDARDS
Admission standards vary widely. Admissions policies may be highly selective (top 10%), selective (top 25%), traditional (top 50%), liberal (many from below 50%), or open (all accepted).
ACADEMICS
When investigating colleges you should consider the following:
Is your major offered?
What is the student-faculty ratio?
Faculty teaching reputation
Instructional personnel (professors rather than teaching assistants)
Facilities (classrooms, laboratories, recreational)
Libraries and computer access
International study opportunities
Internship availability in your major
COST
Fees for tuition, room and board, and books vary greatly among colleges and universities. Don't automatically rule out a school that appears to be too expensive. You may be able to receive financial aid that will help cover the cost of any institution you may wish to attend.
FINANCIAL AID
Once you have applied to a college and have filed your financial aid forms (FAFSA, PROFILE and in-house application, if required), you will be given a financial aid "package" by the college from which you can choose part or all to help pay for your education. The package can contain some or all of the following: scholarships, grants, loans, work-study opportunities and part-time or full-time jobs. The package attempts to make up the difference between your expected family contribution (EFC) and the actual cost of attending the college of your choice.
SUPPORT SERVICES
When investigating a college, be sure to inquire about support services that are available to students. These can include academic counseling, academic tutoring, career and placement services, personal counseling, and health facilities.
ACTIVITIES AND ATHLETICS
Since all of your time at a college will not be spent in the classroom or studying, it is a good idea to check out what activities and recreational facilities are available to students. If you are interested in participating in interscholastic sports, you should inquire about the sport or sports you are interested in and the division in which they are played. Student athletes participating in NCAA Divisions I and II are required to meet certain academic standards. These standards apply to both scholarship and non-scholarship athletes. More about that in the athletic eligibility section.
See below for Web sites to aid in your college search.
COLLEGE SEARCH - HELPFUL WEB SITES
Click on the Web address of the site you would like to visit.
Free detailed information on thousands of US colleges, universities, and post-secondary trade schools. School info includes admission requirements, degrees & majors, contact info, test scores, student diversity, religious affiliations, athletics, tuition expenses, etc.
Help in choosing a college and/or major plus many other helpful topics.
Identifies colleges based on the student's chosen criteria.
Virtural tours of many colleges and universities.
Takes you through the complete college application process including financial aid and scholarships.
Offers information about many topics dealing with higher education including college search, financing college and SAT and ACT test preparation.
College application process.
Over 12,600 college catalogs online.
Provides e-mail addresses to college/university admissions offices. Makes it easy to request information and applications. Includes a scholarship search component.
An excellent guide to college Websites.
Information you provide will be sent to colleges and universities throughout the U. S. Those which consider you as a good candidate for admission will contact you.
