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STEP 2: Big Fish Small Fish, Big Pond Small Pond
Consider the characteristics of the college you want to attend. Now it’s time to set the colleges some prerequisites.
Do you want to be near or far from home?
Location, location, location. Alaska or Wyoming, Winnipeg or Calgary. Does climate matter? Do you want to study in a major city center, in the desert, or in the mountains? Some students like access to museums, ethnic food, or major league sports games. Others hope for easy access to the outdoors or the safety and serenity of a small-town.
Do you want to be a big or a small fish?
Does the anonymity of a large campus appeal to you or are you looking to form the relationships that a small campus offers.? A small campus might be the place to develop leadership skills or to get the top parts in drama productions. A big campus offers lots of options, excitement and competition. Alternatively would you like to be at the top of an honors program in a less rigorous college or in the bottom set of a high ranking college? The size of a college will also affect:
- The range of academic majors offered,
- The extracurricular possibilities,
- The amount of personal attention you’ll receive
Don’t forget, you may be considering a small department within a large school, or vice versa. Always consider the average class size and the number of faculty there are.
How tough do you want your academic challenge to be?
Do you want a tough, competitive, challenging academic environment or a non-threatening academic environment. For the most part, you should not pick a college just because it fits your comfort level academically. Perhaps what you really need is to be challenged beyond what you think you can achieve.
Do you know what you want to study?
Lucky you! But consider this:- do you want a college that only offers the major you are interested in or do you want a college that offers many undergraduate majors, including the one of your choice? Find out as much information about the academic department as you can. Most colleges also offer counseling to help the undecided student find focus.
Also consider colleges that offer study abroad programs or internships in the industry in which you want to work after graduation. Internships are becoming increasingly important to future employers. In many cases work experience is as important as your qualifications.
What type of educational institution do you want to attend?
Do you want to attend a liberal arts college? A university? A technical institute or professional school? Community college? Junior college? What about a women’s college?
Don’t forget….a college year is not always two semesters long. Many colleges offer four equal quarters, some offer a ‘block plan’ in which students study one course at a time, then start a new course. Which works best for you?
How much can you afford to spend?
If only this were not important. Unfortunately the cost of a college education makes for an important consideration for most students. On the good side, most colleges work to ensure that academically qualified students can find financial aid, no matter what their economic background.
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