college research 101 presenter: quaynteece mosby, counselor huntsville high school huntsville city...
TRANSCRIPT
COLLEGE RESEARCH 101
Presenter:
Quaynteece Mosby, CounselorHuntsville High School
Huntsville City Schools
Before beginning your research, first search yourself…
What are your values?
What are your goals?
What is your learning style?
Which classes do you enjoy most?
What people, places, things, actions, and ideas make you happy?
“The 3 Fits”
Academic Can I get in? Can I compete?
Financial Can we afford this school?
Social Will I want to spend the next 4 years of my
life here? Will I like the people around me? What can I give? What will I get?
College or University What type of institution are you researching?
What’s the difference between a college and a university? Colleges offer only undergraduate programs and have smaller enrollments
(below three thousand); Universities offer graduate programs up to the master’s and/or doctoral level and have larger enrollments (double digit thousands).
What’s the difference between private and public? Private means that the colleges and universities are primarily funded by tuition,
investments, and donors; Public means that the colleges and universities are primarily funded by state taxpayer funds and federal subsidies.
What’s a research university? The mission of a research university is to generate cutting edge research and
train graduate students with a strong focus on math and science. What’s a liberal arts college/university?
The mission of these institutions is the training of undergraduate students in literature, languages, theoretical and applied mathematics, physical and applied sciences, and social sciences.
What is “selectivity”? The selectivity of a college or university relates to the percentage of students
who are admitted and the academic prowess of admitted students.
Name of College or University
Where should the search begin?
Talk with parents, relatives, teachers, and/or counselor
Consult college guidebooks e.g. Colleges That Change Lives, Fiske Guide to Colleges, The Best 378 Colleges by Princeton Review, U.S. News and World Report, America’s Best Colleges for B Students, etc.
Online match services www.cappex.com www.bigfuture.com www.collegeprowler.com www.planstudent.org www.princetonreview.com
Campus Location & Size
Where is the school located? Consider the distance from home Note the climate Urban, Suburban, Rural Major metropolitan city Small, “college town”
How large or small is the campus? Consider how long it will take to cross campus? Can I walk about campus? Will I a need bike? Campus shuttle?
How many students are enrolled? Note the faculty/student ratio
Where can I find this information: Admissions webpage
Campus Website & Local Recruiter/Counselor/Advisor
Make a note and bookmark the web address/site of the college or university Consider marking the “Prospective/Future Student” ,
Admissions, and Financial Aid webpages
Make a note of the area recruiter/ counselor/advisor and add his/her contact info (email and/or phone number) to your contacts Demonstrated interest makes a difference (make contact
with recruiter; follow on Facebook and/or Twitter; visit campus; request information)
Where can I find this information: The homepage; “Find Your Counselor” link on Admissions page
Admissions Application Process
College specific application required? Online or Mail
Common Application member? College supplement
Teacher and/or counselor recommendation required? How many?
Application deadlines Regular, early decision, early action, rolling
Application fee; waiver available? Admissions interview required? Optional? Admissions essay required?
Where can I find this information: The Admissions page; “Apply” link
Freshman Class ProfileDo your credentials compare with the most recently enrolled freshman class?
Grade Point Average Mark the average GPA range of admitted freshmen Note how your GPA compares
ACT & SAT Test Scores Mark the “mid 50%” of the ACT composite score Mark the “mid 50%” of the SAT Critical Reading, Math, and Writing tests Are SAT subject tests required Note whether or not the college or university practices “Super Scoring” Note how your test scores compare
What percentage of students were admitted Early Decision (Dec 1/15), Early Action (Dec 1/15), and/or Regular Decision (April/May)
Where can I find this information: Admissions page or Big Future https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/find-colleges
College or University Profile
Make a note of your prospective major of study (if decided) and/or majors of interest and whether or not this major is offered at this institution See www.collegemajors101.com; www.mymajors.com and
www.bigfuture.com to explore majors
Make a note of special programs Honors College 3-2 or 4-1 programs (typically for liberal arts colleges &
engineering) Study abroad opportunities Research opportunities
Where can I find this information: Academics page; Departments page
College Catalog
Find the most recent Course Catalog and download and/or save to computer Get insight into academic rigor, elective offerings, philosophy of
education, etc.
Make a note of curriculum requirements General education requirements
Find degree plans and graduation requirements
Find unique programs and requirements Senior thesis Capstone projects Freshmen Orientation; Freshmen Seminars; First Year Experience
Where can I find this information: Search from the homepage
Campus Life
Campus Housing On campus: requirement or optional Freshman Housing options Application deadline Housing deposit amount & deadline
Characteristics of Student Body Single sex or Co-ed Diversity: geographic, ethnic, socioeconomic, political, religious,
etc. Social Life and Activities
Percentage of students in sororities/fraternities, intramural sports, recreational facilities, special interest clubs, etc.
Where can I find this information: Admissions page “Student Life” or “Campus Life” page
Student Services
Academic Advisement Academic Support/Tutoring
Disability services Career Services
Internship, Co-Op opportunities (school year and/or summer) Job shadowing, placement upon graduation Relationships with local/national companies Strength of Alumni Network
Facilities Computer labs Library Recreational Dining
Heath Services/Clinic Campus security
Policies and procedures for maintaining student safety during school hours and after hours
Where can I find this information: “Campus Life” link or page
Special Interests
Social Clubs and/or Organizations of Interest Pre-professional organizations, Honor societies, etc. Intramural sports of interest
Intercollegiate Sports Note the NCAA division of the college or university Note the coach’s name and contact info for your sport
Arts, Music, or Special Academic Focus Note the point of contact for your area of interest
Where can I find this information: Admissions page “Student Life” link, Academics or Catalog
Financial Aid Policies
Need based aid offered? Note the percentage of demonstrated need met per student
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search Scholarship/Merit aid offered?
Note the different options by name and amount (e.g. “Presidential Scholarship”, “Susan B. Dodds Memorial Scholarship”, etc.)
Policy on outside scholarships and aid offerings Application deadlines
Scholarship/Merit Aid FAFSA
Free Application for Federal Student Aid; determines amount the family is expected to pay for college (EFC)
http://studentaid.ed.gov/fafsa/estimate CSS Profile
Additional aid form offered by College Board; used by certain colleges; fee required
http://student.collegeboard.org/css-financial-aid-profile
Cost of Attendance
Sticker price Tuition & Fees Housing Meal plans Books & Supplies Transportation
Your net price of attendance Get your Expected Family Income (EFC) at
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/paying-your-share/expected-family-contribution-calculator
Use the Net Price Calculator on the college or university’s website
Where can I find this information: Financial Aid page, “Tuition and Fees” link
Is this college or university a “Good Fit”
Academically My credentials My major Academic rigor
Socially Clubs of interest Recreational activities (on/off campus) Student body characteristics
Financially Merit aid/scholarships available Significant amount of need met (>80%) Financial aid awards
Loans vs Grants, work study, campus employment, etc.
College Search To-Do List
Create a profile with a college and scholarship match/search service
Create an organization system for college guide books, promotional materials, scholarship information, research notes, etc.
Keep a calendar dedicated to college events, open houses, fairs, admissions and test dates and deadlines
Online Resources
Comprehensive Sites http://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigat
or/
http://www.collegeboard.org/ http://www.collegecountdown.co
m/
http://www.princetonreview.com/
Admissions Blogs http://www.thecollegesolution.
com/
http://diycollegerankings.com/ http
://collegeadmissionbook.com/
Admissions Testing SAT http
://www.collegeboard.org ACT http://www.act.org/ Test Optional
www.fairtest.org
Paying for College http://www.meritaid.com/ http://www.fastweb.com/ http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/ http://
www.scholarships.com/main.aspx
Print Resources
College Admissions College Board’s Get It Together For College
The College Board The New College Reality
Bonnie Kerrigan Snyder Admissions Matters
By Sally P. Springer & Marion R. Franck The Portable Guidance Counselor
The Princeton Review Paying for College
The College Solution Lynn O’Shaughnessy
Right College, Right Price Frank Palmasani
