Welcome to KeithCountryDay School’s
College Selection Program
The primary focus of the Student Development Office is to guide students in the college application and selection process. Choosing and gaining admission to a college can be a daunting process.
Let this guide help you!
TIPS FOR FINDING THE PERFECTCOLLEGE “FIT”
The time has come to begin the college selection process!
First, you must Get Organized EARLY. You will need to manage all the correspondence and record-keeping involved: transcripts, activity resumes, SAT and ACT scores, applications, essays, letters of recommendation and financial aid information. The earlier you begin, the more comfortable you will become with the process.
●The SEARCH: Find out what's out there and which programs, academic and extracurricular opportunities and campus environments you want. First, take a serious assessment of yourself, your interests, abilities, even your stage of personal and academic growth. Second, determine which colleges and programs are right for you at this stage in your life. This involves everything from searching the internet and college guides to visiting campuses. Jr. and Sr. College Counseling courses offered at Keith will help you!
●Prepare your CREDENTIALS. You have already completed some very rigorous coursework and it's reflected on your transcript. There’s also your ACT and SAT tests - students who want to do better have prepared and practiced these tests until they get the scores expected by the schools they wish to attend. It's your decision how to prepare. Activity resumes, volunteer documentation, portfolios, auditions, writing samples, letters from coaches and others who work within your field of interest are all completely in your hands (although Keith teachers, coaches, and others will help: ask them) and great ways to enhance your credentials.
●THE COLLEGE APPLICATION. An art form or a halfhearted mess — it’s up to you. Admissions Office readers will notice the difference. You will need to write essays; Mrs. Ikenberry and your English teachers will serve as your readers, and will advise and support you. You will need recommendations, and should choose your recommenders thoughtfully. You will need to prepare any other supporting materials, like portfolios and "graded" papers, that the college requests. But you shape and plan everything you send.
●THE DECISION. The college admission committees make this decision, and you have to wait it out. But if you've done your best on all the previous steps, you can wait with the confidence that you've given it your best shot.
●THE NEXT DECISION. After the colleges give you their decision, they have to wait for you to decide whether or not you'll make your initial deposit (if you were accepted). The ball is back in your court.
● REMINDER: Getting organized early will help you feel far more in control of this process. The earlier you begin, the more comfortable you will become with the process.
Researching Colleges
Beginning in the junior year students enroll in a College Counseling course. But prior to that year, students should begin thinking about who they are and what they are good at. Students should ask themselves… “What interests you? What would you like to be good at - enough to work hard at it? What courses do you enjoy? What subject areas would you like to explore in college? What academic, social and extracurricular environment is most comfortable for you ? Are you looking at liberal arts or art school, a BA or BA+MA or BA+MA+PhD (or MD, or JD)? What overall plans do you have for your post-Keith education?” As students research colleges, they should be able to refine what interests them and what looks like a good place to study after Keith. Keep asking questions and refining the answers.
The Search: listen, read, visit.
Listen to People. Seniors students are finishing their college applications. Ask them for information about the schools they researched and are applying to. Parents, extended family, friends, may all have expressed opinions about colleges, or asked you where you want to apply; they know you well so ask them for ideas about where to look. Our Keith faculty have gone to a wide variety of colleges, and may be very current with their alma mater. And, every fall, about 20 admissions representatives from various colleges visit Keith - a great source of information about their college, its programs and opportunities. Feel free to browse the College Library located on the third floor. Read the Guidesboth general and specific. In the College Library, there are general encyclopedic guides, with raw facts and data about all the four-year colleges in the country, selective guides by major field of study, and there are specific guides about great small liberal arts colleges, art schools, environmental programs and so forth. The College Library keeps the latest of each of these in the Office.
More Reading. In the College Library, to be read there, are college catalogs and viewbooks. In the catalogs particularly, you can find specific information about courses, requirements, the application process, financial aid, et cetera. When you have identified a college as generally interesting to you, you can check it out in greater detail.
Search the Web. Any college can be found through one of the search sites: "college websites." Google for leads to specific interests such as "collegiate volleyball" or "college theater."
Visit. The only way to get a feel for them is to get to the campus. It would be impossible to overemphasize the importance of visiting any college you plan to apply to. As you gather information about a college to which you might apply, find out what they expect in terms of high school courses to be taken, standardized testing, their timeline for application, any supplementary material to be submitted and interviews or visits as part of the application process. Then you can organize what you have to
do. Artists should expect to put together a portfolio, even if applying to a liberal arts college; musicians and actors should send a recording; athletes should get in touch with college coaches and send videos.
Where will your best college FIT be?
Factors to consider when selecting your college:
Distance from homeTeaching Style
SizeClass size
DiversitySports
Cost/TuitionGreek Life
Financial Aid Geography/Weather
Majors offeredVariety of classes available
Academic ReputationResidence Halls/Housing
Understand the similarities and differences
between the certain types of schools.
The list is almost endless — colleges, universities, community colleges, private colleges, public colleges, vocational schools. But what are the differences between them, and where do you begin? Once you know where you want to end up, then you have to find the right school. Here's a run-down of the types of options available after high school:
Community and Junior Colleges
Community and junior colleges generally offer 2-year associate degree programs. For students who decide to continue their studies in a 4-year program, the courses usually transfer to 4-year colleges.
Community colleges offer specialized job training in certain areas, much like vocational schools. They're affordable and prepare students to enter the work force immediately following graduation. It's usually easy to get in and easy to transfer into a 4-year college or university.
Four-year Colleges and Universities
Four-year colleges and universities offer bachelor's degrees in many fields of study. Many also offer graduate programs with opportunities to earn a master's degree, doctorate, or professional degree. The curriculum is usually broader than a 2-year school.
Public colleges and universities are subsidized by tax money from the state in which they are located and are generally less expensive than private colleges. However, the low rates are normally available only to residents of the state. Out-of-staters, or non-residents, usually pay higher rates. They also may have limited financial aid funds for students. Private colleges, on the other hand, are funded through endowments, tuition, and donations. The cost of attending a private college is usually higher than a public university. But don't rule out a private school out only because of cost! Private colleges often offer financial aid options that make their cost feasible.
Vocational Training Schools
Vocational training schools are privately owned and operated schools that offer a wide variety of training options, such as computer technology, cosmetology, mechanical repair, court reporting, paralegal services, office administration, and medical assistance. Vocational courses take from five to 12 months to as much as three years to complete. Vocational training schools usually have open admissions, which means they will admit all students interested in attending.
UnderstandingCollege Selectivity
What Is Selectivity? College selectivity is the "application-to-admit ratio," or the number of students admitted compared to the number of students who applied. In other words, it is a percentage, such as 34 percent admitted. The lower the percentage, the more selective the school is. The degree of selectivity at a school can change from year to year, depending on the number of students applying for admission and the space a college has available.
Are Selective Colleges Hard to Get Into? Most colleges are selective, meaning they don't admit everyone who applies. But, most colleges admit over half of their applicants and many admit even more. The average acceptance rate across all four-year colleges is approximately 63.8 percent. So, your chances at the majority of colleges may actually be quite promising.
What About Highly Selective Colleges?
When people say a college is "selective," they are referring to a group of "highly selective" schools that admit less than a third of their applicants. Out of some 2,000 accredited four-year colleges featured on College Data, only about 55 colleges routinely admit fewer than 30 percent of applicants. Admissions at these schools have become slightly more competitive because more
students are applying to them. This is due in part to the ease of applying through the Common Application. You may be eligible for admission to highly selective colleges if you have a high grade point average, numeous Advanced Placement or other honors classes, and top standardized test scores. But it's one thing to be eligible and another thing to get admitted. Space is so limited at these schools that they turn away thousands of exceptionally talented students each year. Your chances may improve if the rest of your application supports your outstanding qualifications with glowing recommendations, compelling essays, and evidence of strong extracurricular commitments. They may improve if you have a quality, such as a particular talent, that the college believes will contribute to its college community. But in the end, your chance of admission to a highly selective college is always a "maybe," no matter how stellar your qualifications. If your heart is set on one of these elite colleges, it is a good idea to include some well-researched backup schools on your college list. You may very well wind up attending one of them.
Selectivity at Public Institutions
Students applying to an out-of-state public college may find that admission is more selective for them. Public state colleges normally give preference to students from within the state, even over applicants with stronger qualifications from outside the state. At highly selective public institutions—such as the University of Virginia or the University of California—competition for admission as a resident is intense, but for nonresidents it is particularly fierce. Some public colleges give applicants from neighboring states more favorable treatment. Check with the college to see if you qualify.
Selectivity Also Depends on You
If your grades and test scores fall below the average qualifications of admitted students at a particular college, that school will probably be more selective for you—in other words, more difficult for you to get into. It may be more difficult to handle academically once you are enrolled. Such a college may not be a good match for you.
How Many Colleges Should I Apply To?
There is no rule that dictates how many colleges you may apply to. If you're willing to pay the application fees, you can apply to dozens. But that's a poor strategy. Take time to research and you'll be able to whittle your initial list down to a manageable number of schools.
Once you know what you're looking for, you can start crafting a list of colleges that fit your specifications. Don't include a school on your list that you wouldn't be willing to attend. As you create your list, include schools that fall into one of the following three categories: match, reach and safety.
A match school is one where your academic credentials fall well within (or even exceed) the school's range for the average freshman. There are no guarantees, but it's not unreasonable to be accepted to several of your match schools.
A reachschool is one where your academic credentials fall below the school's range for the average freshman. Reach schools are long–shots, but they should still be possible. If you have a 2.0 GPA, Harvard is not a reach school–it's a dream.
A safety school is one where your academic credentials fall above the school's range for the average freshman. You can be reasonably certain that you will be admitted to your safety schools.
Apply to a few schools from each category (many applicants apply to around three reach schools, three match schools and two safety schools).
Visiting Colleges
Colleges welcome contact with prospective students. They keep track of your calls and emails, they typically respond promptly, and they are happy to answer any questions you might have. Don't hesitate to be in touch with the admissions and financial aid offices. Keep all telephone numbers, electronic and other addresses in your files. The quantity and quality of your contact with colleges is often seen by them as an indication of your interest.
Catalogs, viewbooks and brochures all help you see the college through other people's eyes, and those people know their college well and have a good general sense of what you need to know. A request will get you lots of information. They best way to request materials is by email or inquiry through the college website.
Visits and interviews are your chance to see colleges with your own eyes and to ask your own questions.
Scheduling
1.Plan ahead, and plan no more than two college visits a day. Colleges are complex places; well-prepared visitor needs time to absorb all the information.
2.Call the Office of Admissions at least two weeks in advance to:
○Make an appointment for the campus tour, and - if they are available for an information session.
○Inquire about making an appointment for an interview, if an interview is required or recommended.
3.If you will be applying for financial aid, it might be wise to call the Financial Aid Office to schedule a time to meet with a financial aid officer.
4.Ask for directions to the college and for travel time.
Preparing
1.Read the materials you have requested from the college or found on the internet so that you can concentrate during your visit on getting the information that was not in them.
2.Prepare questions that were not answered in the college publications or on the internet.
3.Get the names and email addresses of anyone involved with your special interests: coaches, professors, activities coordinators, studio artists, orchestra conductors. They will be particularly interested in connecting with students interested in their fields, and can become advocates for you should you apply.
Being There
1.Be comfortable, but presentable and relaxed about walking around campus as a visitor with parents in tow - you're neither the first nor the last, and most of the students saw the campus for the first time in the same manner.
2.Take notes, mentally or right there on the spot with pen and paper.
3.Do everything you can to talk to students not introduced by the admissions office, see the dorm room not on the tour, get the campus newspaper, see what's on the bulletin boards, eat in the cafeteria, visit the bookstore … marketing is marketing, after all, and you've traveled a distance to get beyond the marketing.
4.Project yourself into what it would feel like to be at that campus for four years. Can you see yourself there? Why? Or why not? The answers to those questions will help you make wise choices about where to apply.
Interviewing
1....is a conversation, not a confrontation. Stay relaxed and comfortable. This is a good time and place to ask the questions you have, and write down the answers.
2.Make sure to get the name of your interviewer (ask for a card) so that you can write him or her a thank you note later. This is the person to call if you have further questions as you move through the application process.
Afterwards, other than writing the thank-you note, reflect on the visit and write down overall impressions. If you're visiting several colleges (and you definitely should) they will begin to merge in your memory unless you keep quality notes!