As HK1 begins the slow, deliberate process of evaluating potential college options, does anyone have a college comparison template that they would be wiling to share? I would love to avoid reinventing the wheel, and I’m sure many of you who have already been through this process likely have something fabulous that he could use as a guide.
I have one I developed somewhere. Will try to find and send to you.
Can I get it too??
Me too. Me too.
I’ll find it.
Would also like one if you wouldn’t mind. Thank you.
ChoatieKid’s had two columns: “Service Academy (Y/N)” and “Tanks (Y/N).” We didn’t bother as none of the schools on our mental list fit either category.
And the award for “Most Outrageous Criteria for College Selection” goes to… 
We made one. I’m not sure how to share it, but it was a basic chart, with the schools listed down one axis and these categories listed across the top:
(please don’t judge us! These were the categories that were important to DC at the time, and this chart was used AFTER we learned where he got in to evaluate his in-hand choices);
name of college, size of undergrad student body, tuition + R/B, scholarship award received (amount), is on-campus housing available and req’d (for how many years), core curriculum requirements? (and what they were… he was looking to avoid a language requirement), IM/club sports available, outdoor program available, location (city, rural, etc), Greek?, cars allowed/parking available, and endowment size.
You’ll notice no category has to do with major or course of study, beyond core reqs. He did not - still doesn’t - know what he wants to study, so liberal arts was his goal.
It was not very elaborate but helped him see on paper the differences between the great (but varied) schools he was admitted to. And helped him hone in on what was REALLY important to him.
Thanks so much @hellomaisy - I truly appreciate it! @dowzerw if you can find your version I would love to see that too!
Ours had columns for number of undergrads, total number of students, location type, SAT and ACT ranges, endowment per student, early admission options, curricular and extracurricular items of possible interest, various measures of possible cost, and general positives and negatives.
I’d also love to see your spreadsheets, thanks!
@hopeful0304 I found it! Late last night and was on the go all today no no chance to get it to you. I will dig in to figuring out how to share it tomorrow. May need to be able to DM a link to you.
You are my hero @dowzerw! Please PM me when you have a chance and we can find the best way to deliver the link. Thank you again.
Found it and it was being format wiggy today so had to take a break til I have a little more time to fight with it.
Mine is a word document with these headings:
- School name and location
- distance
- cost,: tuition, +, room and board
- 25th percentile SAT scores: Verbal then Math
- majors- (how it was phrased), possible minors
It’s annoying that there isn’t a database where we can just pull the fields / schools into a .csv or excel file without having to enter each individual school by hand…(biz opportunity??).
^^ Take a look at College Navigator:
https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/
Such a concept already exists.
@skieurope - Are you referring to College Navigator? They have a ton of information but unfortunately only the high level search fields are exportable. Also, some of the information is quite dated (2011).