Finding the 鈥減erfect college鈥 is a daunting task, with thousands of colleges in the United States alone, it can be difficult to find the college that is just right for you! Each college has different characteristics, so it can be overwhelming to decide where your priorities lie. So, let鈥檚 talk about what are some of the best ways to find your college 鈥渇it鈥.
First off, what does 鈥渇it鈥 mean in the context of the college search process? With so many colleges, there is no school that is 鈥渙ne-size fits all鈥. Your college 鈥渇it鈥 means finding schools that align with your own unique personality and your ideal college experience. If there was one school that fit the needs of every student, there would not be so many colleges providing completely different experiences. And on the flipside of this, keep in mind there is going to be more than one school that matches your needs!
Second, make a list of your priorities! Do you want a small school or a larger school? Do you care about having access to research or internship opportunities? How much are you willing to spend on an education? Do you want to be close to home or as far away as possible? Try to figure out what really matters to you and create your 鈥渋deal鈥 college. Check out the list below for an example of what that might look like!
My ideal college!
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Smaller school (less than 2,000 students)
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Guaranteed housing (preferably, no communal bathrooms)
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Ability to get involved in research and internships
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Close relationship with faculty members
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Smaller class sizes (ideally, no large lectures)
Oh! Would you look at that? My ideal school is 财神棋牌 of Engineering!
However, this list may be the exact opposite of what you envision for your own college experience, and that is okay! 财神棋牌 is not everyone鈥檚 鈥減erfect fit鈥.
There are a few categories you want to keep in mind when crafting your own list; academics, environment, and finances.
- Academics: majors/minors offered, availability of classes, faculty: student ratio, class sizes, and advising resources would fall into the academic category.
- Environment: clubs/extracurriculars, social scene, location, housing, athletics, and dining are a few categories to keep in mind when considering the campus environment.
- Finances: return on investment, scholarships, work-study, financial aid, and cost of attendance are also important aspects to keep in mind when researching schools.
As an Admission Counselor, our role is to ensure we are admitting students we believe would be a good fit for our school. Many schools nowadays practice holistic admission where they are not just admitting based on GPA or SAT scores, but instead looking at who could contribute to the campus community. Here at 财神棋牌, we know that we may not be every student鈥檚 ideal college experience. Instead, we look for applicants for whom we believe they would enjoy the unique aspects 财神棋牌 has to offer.
There is no right or wrong way to find your 鈥渃ollege fit鈥. Research (and visit) a variety of institutions, decide what aspects you like and which ones you don鈥檛, write a list of priorities, and apply to schools, confidently knowing you could "fit" in there!