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1. Where Will You Spend the Next Four-ish Years? Things to Think About When Choosing Your College or University Skip Intro Next Map Exit

2. Why You Are Here The first thing to keep in mind is that there is no one answer for everyone. Just because you were raised to be a fan of a certain team does not mean that University is the place for you. Going to a 4 year college or university is not for everyone. Think about what you want to do in life, because higher education might not be worth the expense. Some students will be better served by internships, community college or trade schools. This guide is to help you if you have already decide that the college or university track is for you. If you decide this is the path for you then our goal is to walk you through the types of things you want to consider. Some of these you might have already though about while others might be completely new to you. Previous Skip Intro Next Restart Map Exit

3. It’s All Relative Some of the characteristics we will talk about might not matter to you at first but they might help make the difference between two close schools. This choice can be a lot of pressure. You want something financially attainable that you won’t be paying off forever. You want a good degree that is interesting to you but also has job prospects. Maybe you don’t know what you want to do yet. It’s an important decision but remember you can change majors, you can transfer. You can get jobs that aren’t directly related to your major. You can get additional degrees. You can get experience in other areas. Think of this as just the beginning. Use the buttons below to navigate and explore. Previous Skip Intro Next Restart Map Exit

4. MAIN MENU STUDENT ENROLLMENT NUMBERS COST AND FINANCIAL AID Demographic breakdown, class size, on and off campus housing, total enrollment, etc. In vs. out of state tuition, family contribution, scholarships, federal aid, loans, etc. CAMPUS LOCATION COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY ACADEMICS Type of city, type of campus, proximity to possible internships, proximity to home, etc. Option levels, transfer credits, challenge level, faculty, majors, etc. SPECIAL TYPES OF CAMPUSES EXTRACURRICULARS Early college, military, conservatory, religious affiliation, all girl, etc. Area, university, sports, the arts, clubs, volunteering, etc. Previous Restart Map Exit

5. Home Sweet Home College is a great time to learn to be independent, but that doesn’t mean you have to cut the strings right away. You might look for campuses near home where you can save money by living with your parents. Or you decide to be close enough to visit within the state but no worries about mom dropping by too often. You still have the option to go across the country too, but don’t dismiss the value of a good support network. It’s up to you how much of a factor this is in your decision. There is also a financial factor because if you attend within your state it makes a difference in tuition. There are also travel expenses for holidays and possibly summers. Airplane tickets can add up fast. Previous Main Menu Next Restart Map Exit

6. Location, Location, Location It doesn’t matter if you are from a rural farm area or a giant metropolis that might not be where you want to be forever. Campuses can be found anywhere. Sometimes tiny towns spring up around them. Other times they might be packed among the streets of a big city. The surrounding area may not seem very important, but it is where you might get an apartment as an upperclassmen. It is where you will hope to get internships and where you can begin networking for real jobs, so it is good if they have good companies with the kind of work you are interested in. It is where you will live for four years so you want it to be somewhere you will be comfortable because you won’t be spending every minute on campus. Previous Main Menu Next Restart Map Exit

7. Welcome to Campus The campus itself is an important part of location. When your exposure to colleges is the one nearby and what you see on TV then they might all seem the same but they have their own unique spectrum. City colleges might be high rises blocks apart where your department is housed in one building that you never leave. Rural campuses have a tendency to spread much more horizontally. There are some city universities with multiple campuses. You might be able to walk everywhere or you might need public transportation or a car. Some campuses might be all concrete and brick and glass. Some will be more open with areas of grass and trees. Some will be more historic, though chances are there will be a mix of old and new. Visiting is important because you can get an immediate sense of whether or not you are comfortable on a campus. Previous Main Menu Restart Map Exit

8. Student Enrollment Student enrollment may look like just a lot of numbers, but they can tell you a lot about a school. If a school was historically a women’s college chances are that it is still a higher percentage of women than men. An atmosphere can be completely different depending on the ratio of graduate students to undergraduate students. Some schools have a lot of commuter and adult students which can mean a very different type of campus activity and peer relationship. If you are planning to transfer you can see how many people transfer in or out of that school to see how prepared they are. If you want to work internationally you could look for a school with a large amount of international students. Previous Main Menu Next Restart Map Exit

9. Student Enrollment Demographic Information Class Size Resident vs. Commuter Graduate vs. Undergraduate Previous Main Menu Restart Map Exit

10. Demographic There are several key numbers when looking at a set of demographics. Take for example the total number of enrolled undergraduates. Looking at a single university by itself won’t tell you much but for example fewer than 2,000 students might be characterized as small. Medium would be 2,000 to 15,000 and large would be more than 15,000. Some people say that at a large college you disappear in the crowd and in a small college you know everyone you see. Medium colleges are where you see familiar faces but there is still a lot of variety. You might look at the number of first time degree seeking freshman to know how many people will be in the same boat with you. You can see how many people actually plan on going the long haul by looking at the percent who return for sophomore year. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Next Restart Map Exit

11. Who Are the Students? Interesting demographics can also include the male versus female percentages as well as ethnic breakdowns and amounts of international students. Even the number of students from other states. These may seem unimportant at first glance but depending on your interests and your own background you might enjoy participating in cultural groups on campus. You might know from your high school if a certain mix is more what you are familiar with. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Restart Map Exit

12. Class Size The easiest number to find is the base student to faculty ratio. This can give you a good guess of class sizes but is not really an average. Some faculty don’t teach many classes at some universities publication is a large part of their responsibilities. Certain departments may have a reputation for larger class sizes especially in lower level courses. If there is a specific department of interest they should be able to supply you with an average. Class size is often affected by total university size. Larger universities are known for more large hall classes. Small universities are known for much smaller classes which usually translates to personal attention. Though that is not to say you will be forgotten at a bigger university you just have to be more willing to do the reaching out. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Restart Map Exit

13. Resident versus Commuter Some schools require that all freshman live on campus, others have longer requirements. Some simply just don’t have convenient off campus housing. Depending on if you are planning on living at home, how long you are planning on living on campus this information could be important to you. If you are going to be commuting it can tell you if you will be one of the few or if there will be a good support network. If you want to live on campus it is good to see what kind of options there are. Are there learning communities that interest you? Are there lots of on campus activities? Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Next Restart Map Exit

14. Graduate versus Undergraduate Though we are talking about undergraduate study it is still a good idea to look at the enrollment number of graduate students. If there are a lot of graduate students then you probably want to look at your specific department to find out if there are a lot of classes taught entirely by brand new graduate assistants. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing but something you might want to be aware of. If you will be competing with graduate students for practicums or internships this is something else good to know. This can usually be figured out to a certain degree by looking at what graduate degrees are offered in the same departments as the degrees you are interested in. Working with graduate students can also give you a higher level experience. It all depends on how the programs are arranged. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Restart Map Exit

15. College or University Academics The academics of an institution are probably one of the most obvious to consider. Though it is much more than it might seem at first glance. You want to look at accreditation, especially depending on your planned degree program. You need to look at how your high school academics compare and how challenging you think the programs will be. You want to look at how the faculty compares and if have any credit to transfer. When looking at any of these things you have to remember that a lot will vary per program. If you don’t know what you want to major in yet that is fine but if you have possibilities in mind you should look at if they have any special admission requirements. Previous Main Menu Next Restart Map Exit

16. College or University Academics Majors and Degree Programs Faculty Qualification Amount of Challenge Transfer Credit Reach, Match and Safety Schools Previous Main Menu Restart Map Exit

17. Reach Don’t just look at schools that you are sure you can get into. It is recommended to divide schools into three groups: reach, match and safety. If you can afford it apply to all three. The reach category is made up of schools that your high school statistics probably fall into the low percentage of their admissions. You really like the school, but the chances of you getting in are not high. You probably don’t want to apply to a lot of these because it could get expensive but if there are ones that you really like then it is worth taking the chance. They should be long shots that are still within the realm of possibility. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Next Restart Map Exit

18. Match Match schools are the ones that you like and that when you look at the academics you can see yourself there. This group is more of a range from being mostly sure you will get in to being somewhat worried (in comparison to the possibly doubtful of Reach). Chances are there are probably schools that you really like that fit into this category. Your academics should fall well within or exceed their range of the average freshman. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Next Restart Map Exit

19. Safety Safety schools probably don’t sound like much fun but you should still be able to find things that you like in them. Don’t think of them as bad schools but just lower on the list. Your academics would fall above that of their average freshman. You should be fairly certain that you will be admitted. This being said if everything you want is at a school that would be a safety school by these standards then go for it. This is just a way of helping to prioritize applications so that you have options. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Restart Map Exit

20. Transfer Credit Once upon a time transfer credits were not a concern of incoming freshmen. Now freshmen are coming in straight from high school with a years worth of credits. Whether you’ve earned your credits through Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses or through a community college or four year college or university you might be able to use the credit towards a degree. If they have accepted the credits before than you can probably find the information online or you could contact the university. Credits like this can make a big difference in graduation date and ability to complete minors or second majors without adding time. They can greatly expand your opportunities so if you have a lot of possible credits to bring in it could be a deciding factor in what school you choose. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Restart Map Exit

21. Amount of Challenge This is partially discussed in the Reach, Match and Safety but even if that system does not appeal to you it is still very necessary to look at how your academics compare to the academics of their admitted students. Not only does this help you figure out what schools are a good match, but it also a good way of determining you well you fit academically. You want to look at where their students ranked in their high school graduating classes, but also take into account that high schools vary in their academics and in their number of students. Comparing your GPA can help account for this variance some. Look at how your SAT scores compare as well. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Restart Map Exit

22. Majors and Degree Programs Nothing says that you have to go into college knowing what you want to do for the rest of your life. It’s perfectly reasonable to be undecided. However chances are that you have some idea of what you are interested in. Think about your skills and your interests; preferably where they intersect. A passion can be good, but some passions are better kept safe as hobbies. Even if you have a major in mind you might want to keep an eye on colleges with other departments and programs that suit your interests. You might end up changing majors, getting a double major, or a minor. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Next Restart Map Exit

23. Finding the Dream Okay, say you have your dream major picked out. You need to keep in mind that the terminology used can vary greatly. There are different types of Bachelor degrees even within a specific field. For example you might have a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Fine Arts and then that degree is in something like Biology or Drama. This is the primary information as far as diplomas, but there are often concentrations within that like Molecular Biology or Technical Production. So if you have a very specialized interest then you might need to dig deep to really know if they have what you want. Department websites and undergraduate bulletins are the best place to look for this information. Sometimes these descriptions can be vague and you might be able to find an answer by looking at the specific courses to see what is offered in the specialization you seek. You might also need to seek out someone from the department for a hands on opinion of if they have what you seek. Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Next Restart Map Exit

24. Tick Tock Every degree requires a certain number of credit hours (they go by other names at some places but these are the units of measurement for how close you are to graduation). Though we refer to four year colleges they can take less or more time. Some colleges have special fast track programs for certain degrees. You also need to consider if the career you want will require a Masters or Doctoral degree but this is also something that can always be decided later. If you do know then you should talk to faculty about how many of their students continue working towards higher degrees. If you have a specific career in mind you should find out how many of their alumni find work in that field. You also need to look at how good of a fit their degrees are for your dream job. If that is really what you want to do then you want to be prepared as possible. Just remember that picking a degree does not mean that you can not get another Bachelors or a higher degree in something else or that you can’t change degrees. Think about what you are good at, what you enjoy and what you want to do first! Previous Main Menu Topic Menu Restart Map Exit

25. Title Intro (2) Main Menu Student Enrollment Numbers Campus Location (3) Special Types of Campuses Cost and Financial Aid College or University Academics Extracurriculars Enrollment Sub Menu Academic Sub Menu Graduate vs. Undergraduate Transfer Credit Faculty Resident vs. Commuter Challenge Majors (3) Class Size Reach, Match Safety (3) Demographic(2) Previous Main Menu Restart Exit