While everyone's
priorities may differ, there are some characteristics
all students should consider. If an item on the following
list is important to you, include it with your own criteria.
Curriculum:
What do you want to study? Do you have a specific subject
in mind, like art or music, or do you want a more general
education? Do you want a range of potential majors and
study programs? Are you interested in a career that
requires professional certification, and does the school
provide the necessary training? Do you want to take
advantage of special programs, like study abroad and
internships?
Quality of education:
How much contact do you want with your professors? How
much does it matter to you whether professors or graduate
students teach your courses? How involved do you want
to be in research and in learning outside of the classroom?
Size: How large
or small a school do you want? Do you prefer large lectures
with hundreds of students or small classes with lots
of student participation? Do you want to be on a big
campus with many majors, an impressive library, and
lots to do? Or would you prefer a small college where
you know everyone's name?
Admission requirements:
What does the school require for admission? What does
the school look for in prospective students? And what
are your chances of being accepted?
Facilities:
What would you like to see on or near your college campus?
Are restaurants, shops, and health clubs important to
you? What about laundry rooms? The computer lab? The
library and research facilities? What about transportation
on and around the campus?
Campus life:
How is life outside the classroom? What special interest
groups, activities, fraternities/sororities do you want
to be involved in? Are they active in campus life?
Campus security:
What measures are taken to ensure your safety? What's
the local community like? How safe is the campus and
its surrounding neighborhoods?
Athletics:
Does the school offer intramural and varsity sports?
How are the sports facilities and coaches?
Location: Which
part of the country would you like to experience? Do
you want an urban or small-town setting? Do you want
to stay close to home so you can visit frequently?
Housing and resources:
If you plan to live on-campus, make sure you check out
the quality of dorm life. Find out if housing is guaranteed
for returning students. And don't forget to check on
the meal plan—can the school provide for special
diet needs?
Retention and graduation
rates: Retention rate is the percentage of
students who stay for four years. Graduation rate is
the percentage who graduate within four years. Both
rates tell you whether students are satisfied with their
experience at the school and get the support they need.
Cost: How much
can you afford? What types of financial aid are available?
Other: In addition
to these and others you come up with, you might also
want to consider:
- Percentage of applicants accepted
- Average test scores of the students
- Job placement services
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