You probably already have some ideas about where you want to go to college—but be careful. Those ideas may not be a good guide to choosing the place you’ll spend the next four years learning, living, working, and playing.
Perhaps you’ve been a dyed-in-the-wool sports fan your whole life, dreaming of the day when you could wear the school colors. Or perhaps all of your friends are going to State U. Neither of these should sway you. Instead, you should carefully consider cost, academics, and a broad range of personal preferences before filling out any applications.
The first decision to make is whether to start at a four-year college or a community college. If cost is a factor, consider community college. You will be able to start school at a much lower cost. However, courses at community colleges don’t always adequately prepare students for rigorous college work, and you must make sure that your community college courses will transfer as useful credits. Contact and visit your local community college to find out whether it will meet your needs.
If you know that you’re ready for a four-year school, the following advice will give you a good start in finding the right school for you:
- Consider your needs. Make sure that the school you choose meets your demands. For example, if you took a lot of AP exams, make sure that your school either accepts them for credit or will allow you to “place out” of some introductory classes. If you need to work during your college years, choose a university that allows students to fluctuate between full-time and part-time. Going to a “good school” isn’t enough; make sure the school offers the kinds of courses, clubs, and activities that interest you; you can find out a lot about campus life just by checking a school’s Web site.
- Look beyond rankings. Many organizations rank colleges according to students’ achievements and university characteristics. U.S. News & World Report’s rankings are the most widely read, but they depend a lot on reputation, plus inputs such as students’ SAT scores—not on actual education. The Princeton Review has multi-dimensional rankings that tell you much more, and Forbes offers a slight twist on U.S. News’ rankings.
In themselves, however, rankings don’t give you much information. Instead of looking at whether a school makes the top 20, examine the components of that ranking, such as student-teacher ratios and graduation rates. Then, do your own research about each school you’re considering.
Start with Thomas Sowell’s Choosing a College: A Guide for Parents and Students—a classic book of advice that is now available online. The Intercollegiate Studies Institute offers two books, Choosing the Right College 2008-9: The Whole Truth about America’s Top Schools and All-American Colleges: Top Schools for Conservatives, Old-Fashioned Liberals, and People of Faith. These give students—and their parents—an independent assessment of America’s schools. You can also check out the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education’s free-speech rankings. You can find out whether a particular campus offers the kinds of experiences and opportunities that are known to benefit students by looking at the National Survey of Student Engagement; USA Today offers an excellent guide to show you how.
- Research individual departments. First, look at the reputation of the department—Googling “college department rankings” will lead you to a number of sources. If you want to be an engineer, for example, choosing N.C. State over UNC-CH would make sense. You should compare department sizes and course catalogs at various schools. Look for a wide selection of courses, times, and professors. It’s difficult to enroll in all the classes you need— and in the right order—when the courses are only offered once every two years, as they often are in small departments. But don’t assume that the most prestigious department is the best for you as an undergraduate. A top department with a large graduate program will probably have graduate students teaching your classes, especially at the introductory level. While some graduate students are excellent teachers, full-time professors have more experience and you can use RateMyProfessor.com (or a similar Web site) to help you pick them; no such resource exists for graduate student teachers.
For more information about some specific departments, you can consult the National Association of Scholars’ list of conservative and libertarian programs at schools around the country.
- Consider the cost. The price of tuition varies enormously: between public and private schools and even within those categories. For example, students attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the University of Virginia will likely get educations (and pedigrees) of very similar quality. However, for North Carolina residents, choosing UVA over UNC-CH would result in $24,340 in additional tuition and fees each year. Don’t pick a more expensive school if your education won’t benefit from those extra dollars spent. Also remember to look at required fees and the cost of living at each school. In some cases, fees and books can be more than half the cost of tuition!
- Location, Location, Location. During college, you will also want to intern, volunteer, or work part-time. The location of the college you choose will affect how many opportunities you have. For example, if you want to go into politics, choose a capital city to take advantage of all the campaigns, party headquarters, policy groups, and government offices that exist there (Washington DC is even better). If you are interested in computer hardware, choosing a college in Silicon Valley will offer more possibilities than one in a small town. Being in a beach or mountain town might be fun, but will probably offer few opportunities outside the tourism industry.
- Visit the campus. Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, visit the campuses of the top contenders. You might find an urban campus too overwhelming. Or a small-town campus too dull. You’ll learn more and be more involved on a campus that feels like home [or “feels right.”] If it doesn’t, your education may suffer.
Lastly, don’t leave anything to chance; competition is fierce at universities across the country. Make a short list of schools you’d like to go to, including at least one that you’re sure will admit you. If you think you might not get into your “dream school,” apply to your back-up school during early admissions—assuming that you are not required to commit yourself early. That way, you’ll have a plan even if you get wait-listed at your first choice.
You’ll find opportunities wherever you choose to go to school, but picking one that fits you—academically, financially, and socially—will help you succeed.