<p>i've been having trouble coming up with a list of colleges to apply to, so i was wondering how you guys did it. </p>
<p>tell me how you chose the colleges you applied to and what factors did and did not matter to you!</p>
<p>As a first step, my son got the US News rankings, and figured out the “range” of schools he might qualify for, based on his gpa and SAT scores. For him, it was around School #10 through School #30.</p>
<p>then, you need to decide if you want to be in a city, a suburb, or rural area</p>
<p>then, close to home or far from home</p>
<p>then, he read about his various possible choices in all the guidebooks they sell at Barnes & Noble. </p>
<p>for him, he is seeking intellectual type schools, in the mode of a University of Chicago.</p>
<p>then, what you want to major in.</p>
<p>Even then, he still has 20 colleges on his list, because there are plenty of good colleges.</p>
<p>“School #10 through School #30.” … “Even then, he still has 20 colleges on his list”</p>
<p>seems like he didn’t end up eliminating that many! :D</p>
<p>Kidding aside, what floridadad said is good place to start. You also have to figure out what your family/you (with loans) can financially afford and then let that guide your search as well.</p>
<p>Floridadad my only problem with that approach is I don’t understand how usn&w ranks colleges. What factors do they create the ratings on?</p>
<p>vivek…</p>
<p>Your list will depend on seveeral factors…</p>
<p>1) Your GPA and test scores</p>
<p>2) Your financial situation…your EFC…Your CSS likely contribution…how much your family will pay…and whether you’re likely to get accepted to schools that meet full need without large loans. Ask your parents how much they’ll pay each year. If they’re vague or they say something like, “apply to several and then we’ll look over your offers,” then consider that a “red flag” and be sure to have financial safeties on your list.</p>
<p>3) Your preferred college experience…Rah rah campus…quiet campus…big school…small school…rural campus…city campus…etc.</p>
<p>4) Your major and likely career…if professional school (med/law/b-school/etc) is in your future, then you should minimize cost/debt for undergrad.</p>
<p>5) Weather/geographical preferences.</p>
<p>6) Including a couple of reaches and/or financial reaches (financial reaches are schools that a high EFC student applies to knowing that the school probably will not be affordable because his family won’t pay as much as will likely be expected. Or it’s a school that is horrible for financial aid…like NYU).</p>
<p>7) Including a few matches…these are schools that you like that you may or may not get accepted to. Financial aid and/or merit scholarships can be iffy at these schools.</p>
<p>8) Apply to 2-3 Financial Safeties…these are schools that you LIKE and that you’ll get accepted to…AND…you know FOR SURE that you have ALL costs covered thru ASSURED grants/scholarships, small federal student loans, and/or family funds. If you’re not sure about how you’d pay for ALL costs, then the school is not a financial safety for you. No school is a safety if you’re not sure that it’s affordable. That said, many wrongly think that their Flagship is their safety…only to find out later that they’re horribly gapped with financial aid and the school is not affordable. </p>
<p>9) If you have a non-custodial parent, then be aware that some schools will consider the income/assets of that family (including new spouse’s income/assets). If you have a NCP that won’t contribute to college, then you’re probably best to avoid schools that need his info.</p>
<p>10) If you want to find some merit scholarships, then look at the schools that give them. The best/largest awards are given to students whose test scores are well-within the top quartile for the school. A high GPA is usually also needed.</p>
<p>At first I check the college affiliation. Then the most important the placements offered by the institution.
About the financial aid offered to the students and the subjects I have to choose as a major.</p>