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College Entrance Guide

IB Coordinator and College Counselor: Barbara Kuhl


PART ONE: KNOW WHERE YOU WANT TO GO

(Or maybe just an overall direction)

Before you can decide which colleges to apply to, you must consider many factors. Here are questions that will help you evaluate your college preferences. The first sets of questions, the Level I Criteria, are very general. They deal with surface information that is easily found in most standard reference books, or on-line. You can look up most of this information at home. The Level II Criteria are much more specific. Some answers may be found only by visiting the college itself.

For each college, you should answer all or as many questions as possible. Always start with the name of the institution you are interested in, admissions office address, and phone (and possibly fax) number. You should be able to retrieve this information easily at a later point, when it is time for you to request more information, or send applications.

Level I Criteria
    1) Environment
    • What surroundings are essential to your well-being? (Consider such things as climate, population number/diversity, etc.)
    • Would you be comfortable in an urban, suburban, or rural setting? Do you want to commute from home or are you ready to live in a dormitory or apartment?
    • Do you prefer a fast paced environment where you can join a wide variety of planned activities, or a more serene and relaxed environment where you can go your own way?

    2) Enrollment data – Criteria to consider
    • Total number of students – Would you like a small college where everybody knows everybody, or would you like to attend a large university?
    • Number of undergraduates
    • Size of the freshman class
    • Male/female ratio
    • % of commuter and residents
    • Geographic origins of students
    • % of minorities

    3) College type and philosophy
    • Would you prefer a public university or private college?
    • Do you want to attend a college affiliated with a particular religion?
    • Do you prefer small classes that provide a lot of contact with the instructor, or large lecture-style sessions?
    • Are you familiar and comfortable with the general philosophy of the college?
    • What type of calendar do they follow?
    • How would you feel about going to a college where you were rarely told what to do? How much structure and direction do you need?

    4) Academics
    • Which interests do you want to pursue in college? → What majors are offered?
    • Do your interests require any special facilities, programs or opportunities, like study abroad or internships? → Which ones do they have?
    • Consider your interests in terms of fields of study, activities, community and cultural opportunities. Are you more interested in career preparation, technical training or general knowledge and analytical skills?
    • Do you already know what you’d like to study? Will there be enough flexibility for you to take classes that are focused on your major? Do you want to take a variety of courses before you choose a major?
    • How important is it to you to perform at the top of your class? Would you be satisfied at the middle or bottom of your college class?
    • How well do you respond to academic pressure and competition from others?
    • What degree of academic challenge is best for you? What balance of study, activities, and social life suits you best?
    • How interested are you in the substance of intellectual life: books, ideas, issues and discussion?

    5) Social life
    • Are sports, performing arts and other activities available?
    • What is the campus social life like?
    • Do many students join fraternities and sororities?
    • How many students live on-campus? Off-campus? What housing opportunities are there?
    • How diverse is the campus? Do you want to attend a campus where many races, religions nationalities and/or cultures are represented? Have you considered a women-only or men-only college?
    • How would you feel about going to a college where the other students were quite different from you? Would you find it an exciting or intimidating environment?
    • Are athletics important to you? What level of athletic competition do you want? Division I, II or III?

    6) Admissions
    • What are the application procedures? What are application requirements? What are the deadlines?
    • How selective is the college? Is this important for you?
    • How many students apply last year? How many were offered admissions (%)? How many enrolled (%)? What was the middle 50% range of SAT’s? What are your chances of being accepted? Are your GPA and test scores similar to the GPA and test scores of students generally accepted to a particular college?

    7) Cost
    • What would be the total cost, including tuition, room and board and other fees?
    • Will you qualify for enough financial aid to attend a particular college?
    • What is the average financial aid award?
    • Are there merit scholarships available?

Level II Criteria
    1) Instructional Program and Facilities
    • What college courses are required (a) for all entering freshmen, (b) for a degree, and (c) in the department of the college you are interested in?
    • Does the college have adequate instructional facilities for the department of the major area of study in which you are interested?
    • Do the laboratory facilities appear to be adequate?
    • Do freshmen have an opportunity to take at least some of their courses with full professors of the college or university?
    • What is the typical size of classes for freshmen? For upperclassmen?
    • What library facilities are available on campus? Would you spend a good part of each day there? What library facilities are available in the local community?
    • How accessible are the college’s computers? How many terminals are reserved for student use? Where are they located? Are there any special word processing facilities for non-science majors? Are personal computers required? Do students have an opportunity to buy their own PC’s at reduced prices? Which manufacturers’ machines are commonly used by students?
    • Are military training programs (ROTC) offered by the college or university? Which ones?
    • What is the nature of any cooperative work experience programs or internships for students in the department or major in which you are interested?
    • May qualified upperclassmen transfer at the end of two or three years to a specialized program such as engineering, medicine, law, dentistry, art or forestry?
    • What is the college’s graduate school placement record over the past few years? How many (%) go to graduate school right away? How many (%) go to graduate school within five years?

    2) Campus and Buildings
    • Does the college campus appeal to you? How large is the actual campus? Is it relatively easy or difficult to get around?
    • Is it near enough to or far enough away from the local community? Is there easy access to stores and other community facilities? Does the community environment appeal to you?
    • Do the buildings seem well-maintained, and do the students of the college seem to take pride in maintaining a clean and well-ordered campus?

    3) Housing and dining facilities
    • What types of housing are commonly available to freshmen? Upperclassmen?
    • Do freshmen live together in dorms or are they mixed in with upper-class students?
    • Are the dormitory, fraternity or other rooms recommended by the college fully furnished, or will you have to furnish them yourself, at least in part?
    • Are the students permitted to select their own roommates? If not, how will they be assigned?
    • Does the college have good dining facilities for its students, and where are they located? Are three meals a day served seven days a week? How much choice do you have in the diet? How flexible are the meal plans? How healthy is the food?
    • Can special diets be arranged for those students who require them?
    • Is there a good snack bar or other student “eating and meeting” place on or near campus?

    4) Personnel and Health Services
    • What members of the college staff are available to counsel with you regarding personal problems, vocational plans, academic adjustments and choice of courses?
    • Does the college provide a special testing service for freshmen? Are vocational interest and aptitude testing services available?
    • Are medical, dental and nursing services available on campus?
    • Does the college have a hospital near the campus?
    • What orientation provisions does the college make in acquainting freshmen students with the college, both before and after arrival?
    • To what extent does the college offer a job placement service for students who need part-time work while attending college? What job opportunities are available to freshmen who want to earn pocket money but are not receiving financial aid?

    5) Religious Facilities
    • Is there a chapel on campus? If so, does it hold denominational or nonsectarian services? Is attendance at chapel service required?
    • Is there a church or synagogue of your denomination nearby?
    • Does the institution approve or sponsor the type of religious club in which you may be interested?
    • If the college of your choice is affiliated with some religious denomination, are members of other affiliations required to attend classes or services in the religion sponsored by this group?

    6) Social, Athletic and Recreational Facilities
    • Does the college have a social room, union, or commons that is the center for student activities?
    • If the college is not co-educational, what arrangements are made for social mixers, dances and parties?
    • What other leisure-time activities and facilities are available to students?
    • What fraternities or clubs does the college have? Do these organizations have their own houses or separate facilities?
    • What percentage of students belongs to fraternities or sororities? How important are these to the social life of the school? To what extent does the college exercise control over these organizations?
    • Does the college or community offer such cultural opportunities as concerts, special lectures, art exhibits, etc.?
    • What NCAA division does the college play in? Are the practice facilities for your sport adequate? Is the weight room sufficient? Is the support staff (trainers, etc.) sufficient? What conference is the college in, and who are its main opponents? When does practice begin for your sport? How much travel time is involved in away games?
    • Is there a good intramural program for the sports you like? How big is it? What percentage of students participate?
    • What are the athletic facilities like for non-athletes? Is there a jogging track? A pool where you can swim laps? An exercise room? Are there exercise classes like aerobics? Does it cost extra to participate?

    7) College Costs
    • What are the typical costs per year for students attending this college, exclusive of travel to and from home?
    • What is the estimated extra cost to the student for belonging to a fraternity, sorority or social club?
    • What financial assistance is available? How does an entering freshman apply for aid? What is the basis for granting such aid?
    • What scholarships are available to entering students? To whom and when should application be made for these?
    • Are there any special or merit scholarships for which you may be qualified?
    • Are there other ways of financing the college costs? Loan programs from the college itself? Deferred payment plans? Work fellowships, grants-in-aid?

    8) College Regulations
    • What are some of the important college regulations for all students? What special regulations are there for freshmen?
    • What attendance requirements does the college demand of the student? Does the college require regular attendance with a specific limit of absences allowed?
    • What level of academic performance is required?
    • To what extent do the students share in establishing and enforcing college regulations? Is there an active student council? An honor system? An honor code?
    • What is the policy of the college in regard to the possession and use of automobiles by students? Of alcohol? Of drugs?
    • In general, does the college appear to be relatively strict or liberal in its regulations?

    9) College atmosphere
    • Do members of the faculty seem to be friendly and helpful in the attitudes and relations with students? Are they courteous to visitors?
    • What seems to be the attitude of the student body toward the college regulations?
    • Do the students seem to be businesslike and serious about their work, or is there a “country-club” atmosphere?
    • Do the students seem to have any particular pattern or unusual mode of dress? Or do they all look alike?
    • What is the college’s retention rate?