PLANNING AHEAD FOR COLLEGE AND CAREERS

College Selection and Admission

No matter what your goals are, some postsecondary education will help you to attain them. The following are some guidelines for you to decide what type of postsecondary school is best for you and the fulfillment of your dreams.

  1. Get Started in Your Junior Year of High School

Review your college preparation course requirements. Prepare for and take the appropriate college admission test—ACT and/or SAT I. If your test scores are a matter of concern, you may take these tests more than once.

  1. Identify What You Want From a College Education

In other words, how would a college degree fit with your future goals?

Consider these questions-

  • What are your career goals?
  • What are your personal goals?
  • What do you like to do during your free time?
  • What do you excel at or enjoy doing?
  • What is important to you?
  • Why do you want to go to college?
  1. Identify College Characteristics That Are Important to You
  • Major and educational programs
  • Type of school and degrees offered
  • Location and size
  • Costs and financial aid
  • College accreditation
  • Academic reputation
  1. Explore Different Types of Schools

Many offer a broad spectrum of academic programs to fit your goals. You can choose from among the following types of schools.

College—an institution which offers students a curriculum culminating in a four-year bachelor’s degree in a specialized subject.

University—an institution which may be similar to a college, and in addition, may offer a graduate degree beyond a bachelor’s degree.

(Exploring Different Types of Schools-continuation)

Community College—an institution that provides two-year programs of study towards a certificate or an associate degree. A Community College can be either for the student who ultimately transfers to a four-year college or university, or for the student who wants a specialized training program for a specific occupation.

Vocational/Technical School—an institution which offers career-oriented programs in certain specialized occupations. This intensive course of study may take weeks, months or several years, depending on the academic program.

  • Military
  • Apprenticeship programs

Choose the type of school that offers the education which leads to the career you want. By selecting a school type, you will narrow down your choice of schools. If you are unsure of your area of study, look at schools which offer more general studies to allow you the time to decide.

  1. Make a List of Colleges You are Considering and Collect Information
  • Libraries
  • College representatives, catalogs and bulletins
  • High school counselors and teachers
  • Directories, computer information systems (Internet, High-EdNet
  • Parents, siblings, friends, students and alumni
  • Professionals in your desired field of study
  1. Take Time to Plan

Your next move is to compile a list of college attributes that most appeal to you. For example:

  • Types of academic programs and degrees offered
  • Job placement rates
  • Geographic location
  • Cost of attendance and opportunities for financial assistance
  • Academic reputation in your field of study
  • Size of student boy and community
  • Types of housing available
  • Diversity of student body (male/female ratio, minority representation, religious organizations, fraternities/sororities
  • Ration of students to faculty
  • Facilities

Make a folder for each college that interests you—it will be easier to keep all the information together. You might want to group these files by:

Reach schools—where you may be admitted and they may be affordable

Likely schools—where you are likely to be admitted and would most likely be affordable

Certain schools—where you are certain to be admitted and they are certain to be affordable

  1. In Your Senior Year, Apply for Admission
  • Weigh all the information you’ve received to make your decision
  • Know admission application fees and deadlines. Fulfill all application requirements of the school, such as Admission Applications, Financial Aid Application, Transcripts, Essays, Letters of Recommendation, Achievement Test Results and Interviews.

Remember to keep copies of all information you submit!

  1. Colleges have Different Admission Timetables and Processes
  • Highly Selective
  • Rolling Admission
  • Early Admission
  • Early Decision
  • January Admission
  • Deferred Admission
  • Open Admission

“Do-Nots” in Choosing a College

  • Do not choose a college without considering several different kinds of colleges.
  • Do not choose a college just because friends or relatives attend or have attended that school. They may or may not know a great deal about colleges they recommend. They are not in a position to know how well-suited the colleges are for your needs.
  • Do not choose a college merely because it is inexpensive before thoroughly investigating financial aids available at more expensive institutions.

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