What Are You Looking For in a College?

You may have already started to look at different colleges, but how do you compare them?  Here are five categories that you should consider when evaluating a college.

• General Information – Where is it located?  Is public or private?  How many students are there?
• Academic – What majors are offered?  Does the school offer the academic area you are interested in?  Undecided about your major?… How will the school help you choose a program of study?  What other special academic programs does the school offer – honors, academic themed housing, study abroad, etc.?
• Admissions – How selective is the school?  (A lower the acceptance rate equals a more selective the school.)  What are the average ACT and SAT scores of admitted students?  What about the average GPA of admitted students?  Is it a weighted or unweighted GPA?
• Financial Aid – What is the average merit scholarship award?  What is the percent of financial need met?  Average need-based financial aid award?  Cost of attendance?
• Social Experience – Explore the college style.  How many freshmen live on campus?  How is the social life ?  What are some of the main events on campus?