cheezwhiz

Slightly different approach: Apply at those safety, match, and reach schools and Apply at large and small schools. I thought I wanted to go to a larger school and even after my visits (2 weeks through 2 different camps) though this was the best. However, as the year progressed I changed my mind and went with the smaller school. Smaller than my high school. For me it was the right choice.

RCMan13

The first thing should always be academics. What range of schools are you looking at? Then, think about what you might be majoring in. You are likely to change your mind at some point, but you may know you are more of a science person or you really want an undergraduate business program. Look into which schools have good reputations in certain disciplines. Once you find several schools that are a good fit academically, choose based on location, distance, size, atmosphere, and other subjective factors. At this point you should definitely visit the schools.

loslobos71

Strength of program
location
sports
prestige
clubs
diversity
social life

pammi89

Has anyone read the Fiske Guide To Colleges? Is that useful?? Is there much difference between each year's edition???

luckytxmom

check out the college search feature on www.collegeboard.com you can search by region, major, selectivity, and many other criteria.. It is how my kids came up with their lists. You input various criteria and it spits out the colleges that fit. You can then maintain your "college list" on their site and keep notes on each college you are investigating etc..It's handy too because they summarize the key info about each school but you can also click right to the websites of the schools you are interested in from the summaries.. it is awesome..

fhimas88888888

Here's the list from one of my 'admitted student questionnaires'

• Academic Reputation
• Availability of majors of interst to you
• Availability of special academic programs (independent study, honors programs, etc.)
• Personal attention to students
• Quality of academic facilities (library, labs, etc.)
• Availability of recreational facilities on campus
• Quality of on-campus housing
• Surroundings (neighborhood, town or city)
• Attractiveness of campus
• Cost to your family -- how much you and your family would have to pay after grants and scholarships (if any) are subractd from your total college costs
• Quality of social life
• Access to off-campus cultural and recreational opportunities
• Opportunities to participate in extracurricular activities
• Chance to be students with different backgrounds
• Quality of faculty
• Athletic programs in which you would like to participate

I think that pretty much covers it. Considering those criteria will definitely help you narrow down your choices. While PR's Best X Colleges is relies heavily on anecdotal perspectives, I found it very useful when I was looking for colleges. To figure out if you're a good fit academically, check out the college's SAT score range. Though it should not entirely dictate to which colleges you apply, that information is a good guide to understanding at which colleges you have a shot, and at which ones you really don't. I'm sorry people, holistic admissions does not relegate SAT scores to the bottom of the 'applicant criteria' list.

Overall, I found those college guides like Fiske, PR's Best 381 Colleges, Insider's guide, to be all very helpful.

philosopher4life

Thanks fhimas!

mastermind09

i sugest looking at the emphasis the schools place on how they teach your intended major. for example, i 1st went to ut arlington because i heard it had a good architecture program, but they had a lopsided emphasis on design and i didn't feel they would best prepare me for the profession.
i transferred, but researched and found texas a&m was a good fit for me.

NattyLight

I looked at the Princeton Review Party Rankings and the US News Top Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings, and I picked the only school high on both lists.

philosopher4life

I was wondering, I'm more of a practical person than a theoretical one so is it possible to look at colleges that put more emphasis on practice than theory?

Is the information available on their website or something?

Tim_ND08

Well, I have always known that I wanted to go to Notre Dame.... so it was tough for me to think of other schools.

But, what I did was find out what I liked so much about Notre Dame: campus, family atmosphere, the combination of sports and academics, religion, and lastly the residence system. Then I found schools that resemble many of the qualities... and soon I came up with about 10 schools that I really like.

philosopher4life

That sounds like a good idea Tim. Thanks.

Father of the Boarder

Interesting formula NattyLight. But, who says the party of Princeton is your kind of party? My favorite example of misinterpretting aprties lies at the Claremont Colleges. Pomona or CMC would probably be thought of as the hippest students among the five schools. So, they may be thought of as the best partiers. But, anyone who attends CC knows that the Mudders are where the parties are at. Maybe some deal with Star Trek Marathons and Trivial Pursuit of the Elements Table, but they party.

tommybill

Read Loren Pope’s two books

philosopher4life

I'll consider them tommybill. Thanks!

The Right College: How to Get In, Stay In, Get Back In is apparently from 1970, would it still be helpful?