I’m currently a junior and I’m starting my college search. I already have 5 colleges/universities I know I will be apply to for sure (safety/reach schools) but how do I figure what other schools I should consider ?
What should I look at in a school aside from majors,research opportunities and diversity ?
info about me
Finances you can afford
A place where you are in the top 30% or better statistically (ACT/SAT) - this will show you have a similar foundational level as other incoming students - very helpful for getting good grades in classes (vs having to learn more foundational things as well as the new material)
Type you like (large/medium/small, urban/suburban/rural, secular/religious)
Location you like
Vibe you like (what types of student does X attract)
If there’s a choice, it can also be helpful to go places that are easy to get to from where you live (short or direct bus/train/plane/drive) away vs hours of traveling to get to/from. That can be minor compared to the others as long as you don’t plan to go back home often. Whether it matters or not is often dependent upon personality and finances to afford travel.
not by asking on this forum.
The forum is great for high-level guidance, for specific questions, to get people’s impressions of a school, to read random musings of HS kids that think they know how it all works.
It isn’t so great for a comprehensive approach to selecting a college. You need to understand how college financial aid works, how admission works, how to select a college that is a fit for you, etc. Nobody is going to have the time to type all that in on this forum but you can find it in books about college admissions. I suggest you read one or two. A book I recommend is “Admission Matters”. You should start by visiting your GC & school library to see if there are any books about college admissions you can borrow.