What are You Looking for in a College?

You may have already started to look at different colleges, but how do you compare them?  Here are five categories that you should consider when evaluating a college.  

• General Information – Where is it located?  Is public or private?  How many students go to school here? 
• Academic – What majors are offered?  Does the school offer the academic area you are interested in?  Undecided about your major – how will the school help you choose a program of study?  What other special academic programs does the school offer – honors, academic themed housing, study abroad, etc.?   
• Admissions – How selective is the school?  (A lower the acceptance rate equals a more selective the school.)  What are the average ACT and SAT scores of admitted students?  What about the average GPA of admitted students?  Is it a weighted or unweighted GPA? 
• Financial Aid – What is the average merit scholarship award?  What is the percent of financial need met?  Average need-based financial aid award?  Cost of attendance? 

• Social Experience – Explore the college style.  How many freshmen live on campus?  What is the social life like?  What are some of the main events on campus? 

Take Action

Kaetlyn, a recent graduate, has tips for you about the “Best Features of GuidedPath Search”.  Read Kaetlyn’s tips for using GuidedPath Search when comparing different colleges.