Each year more than a million students across the country go through the process of searching for the right college. Many students and their families find the search process enjoyable and easy to understand. Many do not. In fact, college admission can be a maze of mysteries for the uninformed.
Over the next year you will receive a series of newsletters like this one. Each edition will discuss one or more points about the college search process. Additional newsletters will cover the basics of financial aid. Our intent is to provide you, as a prospective college student, with information describing how the process really works so that you understand exactly what is happening and how to react.
Separate newsletters focused on each of the topics listed below will begin to arrive in your email inbox in the near future. I hope that you will take just a few minutes each time one of these arrives to read the contents. We think you will find them helpful. Feel free to share these newsletters with your parents and friends.
The Newsletter Topics
|
How did all of these colleges get my name? |
|
Who goes to college and where? |
|
Are ranking systems a good way to pick a college? |
|
What are the best colleges? |
|
What really counts when I try to get into college? |
|
Is it better to take that AP course and get a “B” or the regular course and get an “A”? |
|
How do I identify the colleges I should investigate? |
|
What are the different types of colleges? |
|
What are the best sources of college information? |
|
When should I start investigating colleges? |
|
Is college worth the price? |
|
How do I know if I will be admitted? |
|
What are the differences between early decision, early action and regular admission? |
|
Should I eliminate colleges because they appear to be too expensive? |
|
When should I apply? |
|
Is an interview important? |
|
Should I visit the schools I am interested in? |
|
What do I look for in a college? |
|
How are admissions decisions really made? |
|
What kinds of financial aid are available? |
|
How is need determined? |
|
How do I increase my chances of getting a merit scholarship? |
|
How do I evaluate competing financial aid offers? |
|
What are the ins and outs of financial aid? |
| What are those mystery recommendation letters? |
| ACT, SAT, SAT II – What, When & Where |
|
How do I make the transition from high school student to college student? |
Each topic will be covered in about two pages. The explanation will be straightforward and in simple language. If you use about 10 minutes to review each newsletter you will develop a better understanding of how the college admission and financial aid processes work. With this knowledge in hand, you will be able to make a more informed college choice.
As you go through the search process, keep asking three basic questions about each college you look at.
-
Does this college have what I want? Most prospective students make the mistake of assuming that this means, does the college offer the major I think I would like to study? While that is an important question, you also need to know if the college sponsors the kind of activities that interest you. Does it have the kind of support services that are important? And does the college graduate the students it enrolls?
-
Is the intellectual challenge at this college one I am ready and willing to undertake? Different colleges offer different levels of academic challenge. Some are very competitive. Some are less competitive. You must determine if a particular college offers a challenge you are both prepared and willing to undertake. You will not be satisfied if the challenge is either too little or too much.
-
Will I be happy there? This question is so fundamental that many students forget to ask it. It is, however, perhaps the most important question. You must be convinced that you will enjoy the two or fours years you will spend at that college. Do you think you would like the other students who attend this institution? Do you see yourself as being involved in campus life outside the classroom?
Your job is to find a group of colleges, between four and eight schools, which meet these three criteria. Once you have identified several schools that fit, you are in great shape. Think about it. If you apply to several schools that have what you want, that offer the level of challenge you desire and at which you will be happy, how can you make a mistake at the end of the cycle. Any one of these institutions will be a good school for you.