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Normally, students will apply to three "reach" schools whose
average
GPA and test score requirements are slightly higher than
the applicant's performance, four "target"
schools whose average requirements match the applicants performance,
and two or three "safety" schools whose average
requirements are slightly lower than the applicant's performance. To
choose which colleges to apply to, the student
has to consider some very important questions:
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Type of Institute: |
There are two
types of four-year colleges: universities
and liberal arts colleges. Which do you
prefer?
Some colleges also have religious
affiliations. Would you be
uncomfortable attending such a school, or
would you prefer such a school over a
secular school? |
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Major and Career: |
Does the college offer the field you
would like to study? How strong is this college's
curriculum compared to that of other
schools? Does the college help students
enter their desired careers after the
students graduate? Don't be blinded by
the school rank. |
|
Academic: |
How many professors
are in the
department you wish to major in? How easy is
it for students to contact them? What is
the average freshman high school
GPA? What is the average undergraduate student
GPA? Are there any academic advisors?
What is the percentage of freshmen who complete
the year in good standing and return as
sophomores? What is the percentage of
students who graduate within six years? |
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Location and Size: |
Where is the college located (city,
suburb, rural)? How big is the school?
Does it fit your personality? Will you be
happy there? Are there any safety issues for students? How
far is it from your home? |
|
Social Life: |
What activities does the college provide? What clubs
does the college have? What do the students do
on weekends and during holidays? Would
you like the clubs
and social events? Are the students
friendly? How is their athletic program? |
|
Cost: |
Can you afford attending the college?
Does the college offer on-campus housing? How much is tuition, room and
board, and other fees? How much would you
pay for books, supplies, and
personal expenses? How is the school
financial aid package? |
Liberal Arts Colleges vs. Universities:
Most students consider studying at two types of
institutions of higher learning: Liberal Arts Colleges and
Universities. Compared to universities, liberal
arts colleges focus more on undergraduate
students; classes are smaller and students
receive more personal attention. The benefit of
a liberal arts education is that students
are better prepared for a broad range of
careers and graduate schools. Universities are
larger than liberal arts colleges and offer
more courses and research facilities. Many students and families
favor universities, but think it over to decide which one
is better for you.
Early Action
vs. Early Decision:
Early Action means that students can apply to a college
early and receive a decision early. Early
Action is non-binding; students can continue to
receive decisions from other schools before
deciding which to attend.
Early Decision means that students can apply to a
college early, but they must attend the school if they are accepted.
There are no drawbacks to applying Early Action, but
students should apply Early Decision only if
they are certain that they would wish to attend the
school if they are accepted.
Reach, Target,
and Safety Schools:
According to the student's academic performance (high school GPA,
class rank, and standardized test scores) and
extracurricular activities, a student can usually
classify colleges into three categories: reach,
target, and safety schools. "Reach" schools
have average requirements that are slightly higher than
the student's performance. "Target" schools
have average requirements that match the
student's performance. "Safety" schools have
average requirements that are slightly lower than the
student's performance. Normally, students apply
to three to five "reach" schools, three
"target" schools, and two or three "safety"
schools. When you
categorize a college, you need to pay some
attention to the admission history of the
college. Some colleges pay more attention
to a student's class rank and high school GPA,
while others give more weight to standardized
test scores. |
