What You Should Consider When Applying To a College

We are sure you realize that the best schools want to enroll the students who have the best grades and test scores in high school, but did you also realize that not only these scores and test are important to these schools. Today many schools are looking for much more of students, they are looking for well rounded and community minded students who can offer the school more then just a student. There are schools that just the names impress students and families. These maybe the school dreams are made of, but are they the right school for you? There are so many important things to consider when you are deciding what schools you should apply to. Many parents and students have not really spent enough time on what is important when choosing a school; as a result the student may find that they are unhappy at the school. Sometimes quitting or having to transfer to another school where they may be happy.

That is why it is so very important to thoroughly check out the potential colleges you would like to apply too. Don’t just decide to go to a school just because you heard it was a good school or your friends will be going to that school. You must decide which school can fulfill all your education and dreams for the future.

You as a family should consider everything listed below when choosing a college or University.

Colleges and Universities throughout the world come in many sizes, which range from very large colleges that have well over 36 thousand students and more, to small colleges that have only a few hundred students. Students and their parents will have to consider the size, location, type, cost and financial options, student population, and much more.



1. Size: The size of a college is one of the questions you should always consider when selecting a college. Do you like smaller schools? Do you want to go to a large school? Do you want to go to school in the city or a rural area? Do you want to go to a school where the students know each other or to a school where there are so many students that you only know a few students? Do you want to go to a school that has a lot of activities on campus and off campus?

There are many schools that will meet your educational needs and your personal interest, all you have to do is find the right school for you.

2. Type: Colleges are not all the same, there are maybe many differences from one college to another college so you have to look closely at what each offers you. Some colleges will offer the students graduate programs to fit the needs of most students; they also offer its students research programs that are designed to fit most graduate studies. Some student will only be interested in undergraduate studies. Then there are the schools that specialize in only a few areas of studies, like engineering, music, science or other degree studies. There are also colleges that are private as well as public colleges. Once again there are many types of colleges, now you have to determine which fits your needs.

3. Location: The location of a college maybe very important to you. Maybe you want to study in California, New York or Florida; no matter the location there are colleges that may fit your needs. There are colleges in small towns to colleges in the major cities that can offer a student what and where he or she wishes to live. Attending a college in a large city may offer you entertainment, activities like sports to zoos to visit and so many other things to do, If you grew up in the city you may enjoy living in the city and going to college, but if your from a urban area you may or may not enjoy it. You should consider it carefully where you want to live and go to school.

4. How Far Away: Going to college away from home, how far away do you want to go? Do you want to be able to go home during the week end to spend time with your family? Maybe you just want to live in a dorm at school or an apartment off school campus in your city. Or maybe you have found a school you want to attend but it is on the other side of the country. When you finally decide how what school you wish to attend and how far it is away, you still should consider how often you would like to go home and the cost, if the school is far away you may only be able to go home when you can afford the travel and the time it takes to go home and visit.

If the college you are going to attend is far away, you may be able to keep close contact with your family through, messenger, email, video conferencing or the telephone.

5. Cost of College: The cost of going to college has been increasing every year and is a major consideration for parents of children who will be attending college in a few years or even this year. Do you realize that attending one college can cost much more then going to another college? The cost can vary from once college costing 50 thousand dollars a year to a college that cost only a few thousand dollars

6. Financial Aid / Loans / Scholarships: There are many different forms of financial aid available to students and parents. Every family that would like to send their children to college should check into the different ways to finance college, many schools offer students with needs help with their education cost. There can also be a big difference from one college to another when checking into financial aid awarded to your child. Financial aid forms can be very confusing and if you make a mistake you will have to submit the information again. There are also scholarships available to students although they are harder to earn, usually they are for those students who have great grades, music abilities, sports, or who meet a scholarship award. Whatever you do don’t discount a expensive school to you see what kind of financial aid program they can offer your child to attend that college. There are also loans that may help your child attend college, you should take a look into the different forms of loans that your child can receive.

7. Student Population: The population of a college can vary from school to school. Most of your larger colleges have students who offer a wide range of ethnic, socioeconomic and religious backgrounds. While your smaller colleges in rural areas have a smaller student body who usually come from the surrounding community. Does the student body communicate to the college or does the college have a living in student body? Every student should learn as much as he can about the population of a school they wish to attend.

8. Majors and Requirements: There are many majors that can be studied in college. The first thing a student should determine is what he or she wishes to major in, your major will prepare you for your chosen career. There are colleges that specialize in specific majors, like medicine, law, engineering, computers and more. If your major is specialized then maybe going to one of these colleges will help you toward your career when you graduate.

If you are one of the many students that still have not really decided what you want to major in, you should consider a school that has many options of majors. There many schools that offer a very wide range of studies for students that are still thinking of a major or who know what they want to major in but still want a well rounded education. Then there are schools that specialize in letting students take classes that relate to their majors, this way they spend their time studying what is important to them and their major.

9. Sports: Do you enjoy sports? Do you like to cheer for your team? Do you like to play sports? Do you want to go to football, basketball or other sporting events at your college? Or are you the kind of student that does not care for sports or ever seeing a game? Well there are many schools that have great sports programs for those who want to watch or for those who want to play sports even just for fun. These schools are good for students who love sports and for those who don’t care.

10. School Events and Activities: Do you like going to concerts at school? Do you like to see plays? Do you like to have fun playing games or just throwing a Frisbee with other students? No matter what you like to do there are schools that have all types of things for students to do for fun. Some have summer programs for tours, summer acting or acting all years, you can look into schools that offer you all types of school activates for students. Or maybe you love to dance, paint, theater or write and you want to go to a school that offers you a program that allows you to enjoy your personal desires to write or dance or whatever appeals to you.

Now that you have some ideas of what to look at in a college you can really sit down with your consultant of counselor and discuss what schools feel right and which ones do not now feel right to you. Going to college and going to the right college for you is a personal matter that is really up to you but you do have to consider everything that is involved in the decision. If you have the time to visit each college that would help you to make your decision, but if you can’t then research and research to you know for sure where you wish to go.

Please think carefully and discuss it with someone you trust.