Research the work industries to find out what's in demand now and what will be in demand when you graduate. Select a topic to help you choose a college:
Determine your career goals (Do your research)
Select College Characteristics
Research Options
Request College Applications and literature
Develop a Short List of Schools.
Visit the School(s).
Make a final decision.
Determine your career goals (Do your research) There are many questions to ask yourself before choosing or applying to a college. Consider the following questions:
Why do I want to go to college?
What do I hope to achieve in college?
Do I have some idea of what I want to study?
What are the educational requirements (i.e. Associate's or Bachelor's degree) for my planned career?
What type of school will I attend?
What schools offer programs specific to my career choice?
Which school do I really want to attend and why?
Do I want to live at home or go away to school?
Do I prefer an urban, suburban, or rural environment?
Do I want to attend a small college or a large university?
What matters most to me in choosing a school: location, cost, reputation, and class size?
Now that you have identified your career goals, you may have to attend a postsecondary school to attain the appropriate certificate, license, or degree required for that career. Your next step is to identify college characteristics that match your educational and career goals.
Select College Characteristics The first step in selecting a school is to know what you are looking for. Select several characteristics that you consider important in your search for a school from the list below, and then start gathering information about schools that match your selected college characteristics.
Consider the following characteristics:
Type of School (i.e. Public or Private School, college, university, etc.)
Graduation and Retention Rates
School and Class Size • Admission Requirements
Location (i.e. urban, suburban, small town, or rural)
Distance from Home • Religious Affiliation
Ethnic Composition
Single Gender or Coed (i.e. women's/men's/coed)
Curriculums and Programs
Certificates, licenses, and degrees offered
Quality of education
Facilities (i.e. computer labs, libraries, restaurants, shops, and health clubs, etc.)
Campus Environment and Security
Housing and transportation
Social Activities and Clubs (i.e. special interest groups, activities, fraternities/sororities)
