Is a Community College Right for You?

There are some cases in which four-year residential colleges aren't the best choice for everyone. Here are some reasons why community college is sometimes the better option. Before making a final decision, make sure that you are aware of the possible hidden costs of community college.

Money
Community college costs just a fraction of the total price tag for public or private four-year residential colleges. If you’re short on cash and don’t have the test scores to receive a merit scholarship, community college can save you thousands of dollars. But don’t make your decision based entirely on money, many four-year colleges offer excellent financial aid for those with serious need. If is best to see financial aid exists before writing the possibility of a four-year college completely.

Weak Grades or Test Scores
If you don’t have the GPA or test scores to get into a decent four-year college don’t stress. Community colleges are open-admissions and you can use community college grades to build your academic skills and prove that you can be a serious student. If you then transfer to a four-year school, the transfer admissions office will consider your college grades much more than your high school record.

Work or Family Obligations
Most community colleges have flexibility and offer weekend and evening courses so you can take classes while juggling other obligations in your life. Four-year colleges rarely offer this type of flexibility--classes meet throughout the day and college needs to be your full-time employment and commitment.

Your Career Choice Doesn’t Require a Bachelor’s Degree
Community colleges offer many certification and associate degree programs that you won’t find at four-year schools. Many technology and service careers do not require a four-year degree and the type of specialized training you need is available to you only at a community college.

You’re Unsure About Going to College

A lot of high school students have a sense that they should go to college, but they aren’t sure why and aren’t really interested in attending school. If this describes you, community college can be a good alternative option. You can try out some college-level courses without committing years of your life and tens of thousands of dollars to see if it is the right path for you.

How to Pick the Right College for You

When first choosing a college, you need to divide your college choices into three categories: top-choice schools or those that are most difficult to get into, your second choice schools or ones that you have a reasonable chance of getting into and that you would be excited to attend, and finally your "safety colleges”, those schools that you will definitely get into. It is a good idea to try having 2 or 3 colleges that fit into each of the different categories.

The next step is to narrow down the college choices by doing some research. Talk to counselors, teachers, family friends and even your parents--these people will be full of friendly advice and, since they know you, they may have specific reasons for recommending a certain college to you.

When you think about schools, you need to consider what you really want in an education. A pre-professional education prepares you for a specific job and includes areas such as engineering and pre-med. Some schools like M.I.T. have very strong programs for those interested in the sciences, but might not be right for someone interested in literature. A liberal arts education, on the other hand, aims to equip you with general knowledge and reasoning skills suitable for many jobs.

You also want to ask how the college ranks in the major you want to study--some schools are stronger in some areas and weaker in others. While it may be too early for you to know whether you want to major in English or history, check out how strong the programs and professors are in the various fields you are considering. One indication of how much emphasis a university places on a major is to find out how many students are studying that major, how many courses are offered in the field and how many faculty members teach the courses associated with that major and others like it. If you want a major in a narrow field, you might have to consider a larger university.

As you explore colleges, you'll discover that some factors are not as important to you as others. Ultimately, you want to pick schools that meet your needs. As you do your research, keep in mind that your college education is one of the most important investments you will ever make in your future and it's worth spending the time to make sure that you make the right decision.

Going Away to School vs. Staying at Home

Should I go or should I stay? The dilemma on whether to go away for college or whether to stay locally can be a tough one for some. It’s a big decision that can determine the rest of your life, so here are the benefits of both to help you make the decision just a bit easier (or harder!).

STAYING HOME
One of the biggest benefits of staying home is the convenience--it can be helpful to be able to continue to live at home, rent-free and to not worry about moving your entire life to a dormitory in a new city.  This is quite beneficial if you’re looking to save some money.

Another bonus of staying home is that you get to stay close to friends (at least the ones that also chose to stay) and family.  You already know the area, and if you have friends who haven't gone to college, it's also easier to keep in touch with them.

One of the downfalls of living at home, however, is the possibility of missing out on the “campus experience”. Most colleges have societies and other events going on, and if you're going home every day, it takes a lot more conscious effort on your part to get involved with them. Also depending on how far away the college is from where you live, you can spend a lot of time and money travelling to and from college every day.

GOING AWAY
Leaving home and starting over in a new city is an adventure—new city, new place to live, new friends, new people! Starting over makes you gain a greater sense of independence and is great practice for when you finish college and want to move out. Your friends and family will still be around, and are most often just a phone call or email away, but going away to college helps you test your own ability to make it in the world.

If you go away to college, you will also have a lot of experiences that you probably won't have if you stay at home. There is generally a real feeling of community at colleges, because you're all in the same situation together. It's a great opportunity to try out hobbies and join clubs that you've always wanted to try. No matter how excited you are about going away to college, you will get homesick--everyone does. It may not be in the first week, it may not be in the first month, but there will always be a point when you want to see your family or friends. It is important to know that there will always be someone feeling the same way, and there will always be someone who can listen to you and help you.

The final decision is ultimately yours, and whatever decision you choose, it is important to make the best of it and have fun--after all, these are the best years of your life.

Compare College Programs

The popularity of many colleges and universities comes from the programs that they offer. Some schools are known for engineering, information technology, or art. Students who know what fields interest them may choose an institution based upon individual programs. Other students may prefer to select a major program after their first year.

It is important for families to compare specific programs. This comparison can help them when it comes to the cost of an education. It is also a tool when it comes to the benefits of a degree program. You can best compare programs by doing a bit of research. Knowing what a school offers is a critical part of your selection.

Look at Majors

Students who already know the major that they are interested in are in a good position. They can select institutions that offer that major. Another thing to consider here are the focuses that are offered. Education is one example of degree programs that may vary depending on the school. Accounting and management are two other diverse programs to pursue. Comparing programs will help you to discover which may be the best fit for you.

Undergraduate and Graduate Offerings

Some families will be looking towards the future when they choose their institution. This means not only the near future, but the distant one as well. They will want to compare undergraduate programs and graduate ones. There are schools that have a vast array of undergraduate programs, but limited offerings for graduate students. This could possibly factor into your overall choice of school.

Cost of Your Degree

Another factor to consider when comparing programs is the cost of each. Some of the most popular institutions are also known for their cost. There are other schools that are much less expensive. Those that offer you great programs at a reasonable cost may be the better choice. Families use this information in order to determine how they can approach higher education expenses.

There are a lot of important factors to consider when you choose a college. The programs that a school offers can help students to prepare for the future. Individual schools will also provide you with the success rates related to their programs. This information can be quite persuasive to potential families.

Using Social Media in College Choices

The internet has proven transforming when it comes to the way that business is done. Millions of people around the world use the realm of the internet to make their retail purchases. The information and details found online are very beneficial to the average family. You can use the internet, especially social media, when it comes to choosing the right college.

Students and their parents will look at a list of colleges and universities. Some of these schools will be local offerings. Others may be far away from home. Social media provides students and families with a lot of information. It doesn’t matter, whether you utilize Facebook, Twitter, or various other social media. You can discover details about colleges, their atmosphere, and individual programs.

Followers Share Opinions

Current students of a college are going to share their opinions through social media. These are followers of these schools. Their opinions can help students to better understand what a school has to offer. You can view Facebook pages of students and alumni of the college of your choice. There are also pages, most often, related to the program that you are interested in. Blogs are another source of information provided by social media.

School Pages

Individual school pages on social media are full of information. Many are equipped with pictures and details about the campus. Connecting with people on these pages can assist you in making your final decision. This is a good way to get a sense of a school prior to visiting it. There may even be intriguing information on college pages to interest you in a campus tour.

Social media is useful when it comes to connecting with people that you don’t know. This is especially helpful for students and parents pursuing college choices. Following what’s happening on a campus can assist your decision. Social media can provide you with tuition, dorm, and transportation information. Blogs, forums, and other social media tools are essential when selecting a college or university. Utilizing them is not simply a trendy way to learn information. These tools are an invaluable way to get unbiased opinions about a school and what it offers.

Have a Plan - Choosing a School

Waiting to the last moment to choose a college or university is not the best idea. These days’ college-bound students begin their search early. Juniors and seniors in high school are trying to find the right institution for them. There are a lot of considerations that factor into this type of choice. This is one of the reasons that parents and students must work together to make this decision.

The location of the school may be one of the largest factors in your choice. Some families, however, will focus on the cost of the college or university. These types of considerations coupled with degree programs offered are all a part of the process. Having a plan is a great way to make the best decision for your student. Here are some of the things that should make your list:

Prepare for Admissions

The admissions process is essential to attending an institution of higher learning. Each school will have its own criteria. Most often this will include entrance testing, applications, and general admissions. Students feel more comfortable with this process when they know what to expect. Parents and guidance counselors can be good resources for these students.

List Colleges

There are bound to be a group of colleges that your student is interested in. Not all of these schools will make your short list of possibilities. It is important to know that every college has a criterion for applying for entrance. Students should consider what that school has to offer them and their futures. It is also important to think about things like distance from home, cost of tuition and board. Students must also consider the degree programs being offered from a school before making a final decision.

The transition involved in going to college can be smooth or rocky. Families that set a plan and prepare ahead of time actually enjoy this process. Planning for the day that your child goes off to college is about more than finances. Things like campus life, budgeting time and money are included here. Listing important factors will help you and your student to prepare for the experience.

Choose Your School By Major

Many high school students throughout the state of North Carolina will be looking at colleges and universities. Some of these students and their families will focus on individual schools. Others, however, will be open to the selection of the right school. One of the key things to consider when selecting an institution of higher learning is your major.

Those who know what major they intend to adopt are in a great position when it comes to shopping for schools. Not all colleges will have your particular major. Schools that do have your major of choice, may not have the program that you are interested in. This is why families need to do a bit of research before making a final decision on an institution. Here are some tips for choosing a school by major:

Narrow Down Your Search

When there is a wide selection of institutions in your state, making a choice can be difficult. There are many different ways to narrow down your search for a school. One very important issue that assists you here are the majors that a university offers. It doesn’t matter, whether you are looking for Political Science or Education. Students and parents must search for schools with majors in the degree programs they are interested in.

                                               

Look at Programs

Each school is different and has unique majors and programs to offer students. Not all programs are going to be the same. Education for example is a diverse major to consider. There are focuses like early childhood, middle school, and other areas. Depending on your interest, you will have to make your school selection. It is important that you look at each school’s major programs before making a decision.

The size of a college or university doesn’t limit what it may offer you in terms of a major. Other factors may impact your final decision as well. The distance away from home, cost of tuition, and a host of topics will influence your choice. It is always a good idea to look at the majors that an institution offers to you. This will help you to wisely determine which is the best fit for you.

How to Make the Most of a Campus Visit

College visits are important to making an informed decision on which education institution is right for you. While that program at the state college several hours away might seem good on paper, course sizes and professors aren’t the only factors you should consider. Where you will live, the campus community you will be a part of, and basics like where to eat and study will all play a role in your college experience. To make the most of your campus visits, keep the following in mind:

Take a Student-Guided Tour

Most colleges offer a tour conducted by a current student at the school, and are a great way to get honest feedback from the student perspective. Students are often very honest about sharing their personal opinions of the school and great at answering group questions that frequently come up, both from high school students considering their college and from parents who are anxious about sending their child away to school for the first time.

Do a Private Tour

While taking the official tour is a good way to get a general understanding of how the campus functions, you should also spend time exploring on your own. Often tour guides will highlight the prettiest or more interesting buildings on campus- but this isn’t the entire story. Taking some time to poke around can give you a more complete idea of what each college campus is all about.

Take Pictures and Notes

Chances are you will end up visiting several colleges before you make your final decision. Taking detailed notes and pictures that highlight the pros and cons of each college- as well as your impressions and feelings of the place- will be of great assistance when trying to recall the details months later.

Spend a Day in the Life of a Student

Tailor your campus visit to get a feel of what it would be like to be a student there. Often faculties are grouped in different areas on campus- how far away would your classes be from your residence? What kind of cuisine is offered at the cafeteria? Are there any good study spots in the library? If you know what you want to study, sitting in a course can give you a good idea of what to expect in terms of class size, professors and discussion-most colleges are fine with this if you schedule ahead first.

Explore Beyond the Campus Boundaries

Choosing a college also means choosing a community to live in for several years. While you’ll probably live in residence in your first year, you may want to move off campus at some point. Take some time to explore the neighbourhood around the college. What is the average cost of rent? Is there free street parking? What sort of amenities- like grocery stores, coffee shops or libraries- are there? Getting a sense of the campus and the surrounding area will help you better plan for your complete college experience.

5 Ways to Compare Colleges

One of the biggest tasks for high school students is choosing the right college for their future studies. With so many options to choose from, it can be difficult to choose which to apply to, and even more difficult to choose amongst multiple colleges when one has been accepted. Here are 5 factors that you should consider when stacking your colleges side by side.

Cost

It may not be the most attractive of factors, but it’s the most pragmatic. If you’ve examined the financial aid and scholarships opportunities of a school and decided that you truly can’t afford it, scratching it off the list early can actually help you focus on better opportunities. Be sure to consider all aspects of cost, including travel, housing, tuition, materials, and ancillary fees.

Campus Life

Where do you want to live for 3 to 4 years? That’s the question you should ask yourself when comparing colleges. For most students, moving to college is the first time they’ve been away from home, making the campus life a significant factor in the decision. Looking at the amenities, extracurricular activities, housing options, and campus culture can have a big impact on whether a college is good or just good enough.

College Environment

It is more than just the types of classes and majors offered. Consider things such as average class size, student-to-teacher ratios and whether classes are generally taught by professors or graduate assistants. Think about whether you prefer to learn through hands-on experiences or class discussions.

Location

Consider things like distance from home, geographic location and climate. If you’re used to a smaller town, will the move to a big city be exciting, or a distraction? Are you depending on public transit that is found in larger cities, or are you looking at a campus that is all within walking distance of just the basics?

Gut Feeling

Try to visit your top choices before making any decisions. Talk to students, take a campus tour and even sit in on a class. The best way to get a feel for the college is to experience it the way a student would. Most people know when a school just feels right.

5 Tips to Get the Most from Your Campus Visit

One of the more exciting and fun parts of your college admissions process is visiting the campus. Colleges understand that this is an important step to your decision as to what college you should attend, and do their best to make their college appealing to both students and parents alike.

While enjoyable, a campus visit is also critical to extracting the most information and value from your campus hosts, so that you can make an informed choice, and put your best foot forward with the Admissions department.

Here are some simply tips to follow to make the most of your campus visit

1) Know the college: Instead of asking the simple questions that campus guides hear all the time (How many students does the college have? What year was it founded?), get the basics out of the way by reading college brochures and studying the applicant information on the college’s website

2) Feel like you’re already there. A lot of colleges offer virtual tours that you can review from the comfort of your home. Check them out, as well as a campus map, ahead of time so you don’t waste precious time wandering around.

3) Research your areas of interest. If your focus is a particular department, review the department online, and know the principle players (the Dean, professors, and faculty). If you are lucky enough to run into them on campus during your tour, you may have the opportunity to introduce yourself and get a foot in the door!

4) Ask intelligent questions. College Admission departments really like engaged, enthusiastic students. Stand out by asking questions such as “What was the most recent paper published by the head of the faculty?” or “What kind of internships and research possibilities are available to first year students in this field?”

5) Don’t forget the living necessities! As a student, you will be living the next 4 years of your life on this campus. Get to know the area around the campus well, including how far a jog it is to the local Laundromat, grocery store, and even the local mall. If your college is secluded from a metropolis, you’ll want to know in advance that you need to budget for bus or cab rides to get your necessary chores done each week.

Campus tours are fun, but they’re also a great source of important decision-making information. Make the most of your visit!

Choosing a College: Big City or Small Town?

Choosing a perfect school is about more than programs and classrooms; it's also about the kind of environment the school resides in.  Deciding on a school is not just about what lies on campus; it's equally about what lies outside of campus.

Schools like Columbia, Georgetown or UCLA that sit in and around huge cities offer the prospective student an amazing number of opportunities – but don't dismiss the small town university like Dartmouth or Cornell.  When deciding on your ideal school, consider the strengths of big and small:

1. There's more to do in big cities and more to be distracted by.  A place like Boston or Chicago offers the student more chances for entertainment, experience and employment than could possibly be sampled in four years.  On the other hand, such things can distract you from your studies.
2. The financial implications are different.  Generally speaking, the bigger the city, the higher the costs, and rent in a downtown metropolis can be stratospheric.  On the other hand, if you want to fly home for a holidays, it's a lot easier to find cheap flights out of New York City than it is out of Ann Arbor.  Your plans for residence and travel could have a lot to do with which is more affordable.
3. Do you want to be a big fish or swim in a big pond?  In a metropolitan campus there are an endless number of things to do, resources to draw from, and people to meet – but you're also a small part of it.  If you want the opportunity to really get to know your fellow students and the faculty, a small town school might offer more chances to get yourself known on campus.
4. What do you like to do?  If you're the outdoorsy type it's a lot easier to get into nature from a place like Penn State – literally a bike ride away from several protected forests – than it is at Temple, which, in the middle of Philadelphia, is a bike ride away from a lot more of Philadelphia.
5. What are you going to do after your undergraduate degree?  For some careers, getting close to the action as soon as possible can pay dividends later, whether it's big finance in New York, public service in Washington, or high tech in San Jose.  However, some fields are more geographically diverse, and if you're planning on graduate school you might well want to switch schools after your undergraduate degree anyway.

Whether you end up in the Big Apple or Appleton, make no mistake that the city a school is located in shapes the school and the experience you'll have there.