College Poop - College news and information on Financial Aid, College Admissions, Test Preparation

Creating a College List

I suggest creating a longer list of schools and gradually shortening the list to schools that you wish to apply. Keep in mind that the applications for many universities, especially the more selective schools, have tough essays or short answers, so make sure you have ample time to really do your best on them.

Things to consider: (not in any particular order):

– School Size – Academic programs they offer – Academic strength in intended major, or for many people who are undecided, a school who has a variety of strengths. – Location/Geography (Close or far from home, where you want to be) – Legacy status/family history at school – Prestige, overall academic ranking or reputation – People/Diversity – Climate – Athletics

Things to check

– Tuition (total costs, whether school is generous with financial aid, or scholarships.) See Financial Aid or Scholarships categories for more information. – Retention and Graduation Rates – Colleges or Universities with high first year retention rates or high percentage of remaining students that graduate means that students overall are satisfied with the schools academic, social, and financial system.