What is the most impt factor in selecting a college?

College Search & Selection
481

<p>In my opinion, these are the most important factors:</p>

<p>-Diversity/Religion (This is huge for me. As a gay man, I need to be in a diverse environment.)
-Location (This isn’t the biggest factor, but it is still very important because I want to be around a place where I can have access to resources I need)
-Prestige (Pretty important but not the #1 factor. I’d say it’s #2/3 factor. Although, I definitely do think prestige will help a lot since there will be more resources.)
-Academic/Major Strength (This is very important to me because I want to go to a school where I will be able to learn a lot and be prepared for my career.)</p>

482

<p>I think the most important factor is to have a fairly clear idea about the purpose of higher education, for you.</p>

<p>For me, the primary purpose is to bring serious students together with good teachers to explore, think and communicate, in an increasingly disciplined but agile way, about big ideas in the arts & sciences. A school that addresses this purpose should do a good job preparing students for leadership in many fields (and for life).</p>

<p>Several characteristics support this purpose, such as small classes, selective admissions policies, high faculty salaries, robust research activities, and a well-designed liberal arts curriculum. Some other characteristics may tend to distract from the main objective. </p>

<p>If your primary purpose is to prepare for medical school, get a credential for a specific profession (architecture, nursing, etc.), enjoy a certain social experience, or simply to get a degree from somewhere respectable for the lowest possible cost, then you might be looking for a different set of supporting characteristics. However, if you don’t first think clearly about your purposes (allowing for some natural confusion about the details) you are liable to wind up with characteristics important to somebody else, not you.</p>

483

<p>One of the best ways to select a college is to ask yourself questions so that you can determine your priorities. While there are a lot of important questions you can ask, there are three that we feel are the most essential.</p>

<p>First, will the college equip you with the knowledge and experience you need for the future? If you have some career direction, will the college provide you with the education you need to enter that field? As an example, students who plan to become journalists will want to attend a college with a strong journalism, communications or English program and that offer support to find internships in the field.</p>

<p>Second, will the college help you to continue growing? Will the class and campus environment challenge you, introduce you to new experiences and foster the development of your personal ideologies?</p>

484

<p>HEY GUYS, </p>

<p>i wanted to ask!!
from these schools, which one are the best for finance major? (all for undergraduate, entering as a freshmen) also based on ranking, which one is the best to worse (1-5; 1 being the best). </p>

<ul>
<li>University of Washington </li>
<li>Fordham University </li>
<li>Syracuse University </li>
<li>UC Davis </li>
<li>Indiana University @ Bloomington</li>
</ul>

<p>thanks!
i hope all of you reply this message :)</p>

485

<p>Obviously there is no such thing as the most important factor when choosing a college. I think you look at all the factors EXCEPT academic reputation. Each person will have their own most important factorS, which will hopefully result in a fairly short list. Then, make your final decision based on academic reputation, with a dose of financial consideration thrown in there. In short, don’t start with academic reputation as your most important factor. End with it.</p>

486

<p>It’s faculty, placement opportunities, infra etc</p>

487

<p>visit, visit, visit… What may look good on paper regarding stats, etc. and the overall vibe of a campus is the most important.</p>

488

<p>Visiting is key. How else are you going to know if you would fit?
I can give an example. My best friend wanted to go to MIT his whole life. He had the perfect credentials and interests. When we visited Boston for Harvard and Tufts, we stopped to see MIT. He learned he absolutely hated the environment and he just didn’t like the place and style. He came with me to Dartmouth, and absolutely loved the place, although he didn’t consider it. This fall, he’ll be attending Dartmouth College.</p>

489

<ol>
<li><p>Parents need to realistically look at their finances. Are you really going to qualify for financial aid? Is there a realistic chance of your child being able to afford the college if he DOESN’T get a glorious scholarship?</p></li>
<li><p>Visit the college at least once during the worst time of year! Go in January or February. Every campus looks beautiful in early October and during spring break. If your little darling wants to go north, he needs to visit and love it even when the days are dark and cold, and the snow is piling up.</p></li>
<li><p>Look the college’s strength in your intended major, and look at it with the thought that you might not stay in that major. Will you still want to be there if you decide to switch from Biology/pre-med to English/Journalism after the first semester? </p></li>
<li><p>All other things being equal, go with the college that “feels right”.</p></li>
</ol>

490

<p>“1. Parents need to realistically look at their finances. Are you really going to qualify for financial aid? Is there a realistic chance of your child being able to afford the college if he DOESN’T get a glorious scholarship?”</p>

<p>@eastcoascrazy - I agree 100%!!</p>

<p>The important factors in choosing a college has changed from the fall when it was application time to present day since it’s crunch time on making the decision on where to commit. Luckily, she applied to a variety of schools including Financial Safeties.</p>

<p>D applied to private LAC’s (in-state and out-of-state), CSU & UC’s and out of state public universities and we never looked at ‘price’ until we started receiving the Financial Aid Award letters spelling out how much loan debt we were expected to take on.</p>

<p>My daughter is not a gifted athlete, musician or NMF so no ‘free ride’ thus the majority of COA is on us. At this point, I think EFC should be changed to ELD (expected loan debt).</p>

<p>So we’re turning down the ‘better private school’ in TX which was her dream school in favor of a UC or CSU. Have to factor in not only in-state cost but cost of traveling.</p>

<p>The financial is definitely #1 since she’s planning on Grad school. I can’t see going into $100,000+ in student loan debt for an undergrad degree.</p>

<p>1- Tuition/Scholarships (Financial ‘fit’)
2- Good vibes/felt at home (the college that ‘feels right’)
3- Geography/location (in-state tuition and within driving distance)</p>

491

<p>I think that climate differences should not be underestimated, particularly for those students planning on going from one extreme to the other, as students have enough challenges in adjusting to college life without that extra burden thrown in.</p>

<p>eastcoastcrazy makes an excellent point about not going to visit schools where there are concerns about climate differences during times of the year when the reasons for those concerns are not obvious. We live in central Texas, with severe summers and mild winters, and my son has some interest in a few schools in the northern US. I do not want to visit during the summer when the weather there would seem like heaven compared to the weather back home, though I hesitate to visit at Christmas when a northern school might look like a wintry wonderland. I suspect the best time would be during his Spring Break in March, when the fields of central Texas are bursting with spring flowers, waving in a gentle warm breeze, while icy winds continue to blow through the northern schools with their brown grass and dirty old ice by the side of the road (I went to grad school up north before returning to Texas for law school, so I have some experience).</p>

492

<p>I used to think it was prestige, but as I’ve gone down this path to finding the right college, I’m realizing it’s more of the intangibles like how you feel, the vibes, social scene, the people and community, and if you can picture yourself there.</p>

493

<p>My daughter who lives in Atlanta and attended a large, diverse public high school with lots of good students, is torn between University of Georgia, Dickinson College in PA and staying the Colorado College wait list. She will pick from the first two and then see what CC says. But does anyone have any thoughts on UGA vs Dickinson (so very different). She’s interested in becoming a college admissions counselor via psychology or working in magazine styling.</p>

<p>Down here nobody knows Dickinson but it seems to be a great school. We visited twice. UGA is fun, she knows lots of people there, but which is better for graduate school followed by life most likely in NY or the northeast!</p>

<p>HELP!</p>

494

<p>I found this really cool site. There are tons of blogs and you can find out anything you want to know. There’s even a search box on the site. I was searching for factors in selecting colleges and found this post on college rankings. Of course it didn’t hurt that Malcolm Gladwell is my favorite author. [College</a> Ranking | Winning the College Admissions Game | The Ivy Coach Blog](<a href=“http://www.theivycoach.com/the-ivy-coach-blog/the-rankings/college-ranking/]College”>College Ranking | Ivy Coach College Admissions Blog)</p>

495

<p>I think a reputed college with best quality education would be the best because If its reputed level of students would be better in that college and its highly likely to find like minded friends, it will offer training and development to students as well. Although I am now going with online [phlebotomy</a> training](<a href=“http://phlebotomytrainingcertification.com%5Dphlebotomy”>http://phlebotomytrainingcertification.com) & [phlebotomy</a> certification](<a href=“http://phlebotomycertificationessentials.com%5Dphlebotomy”>http://phlebotomycertificationessentials.com) but I miss colleges a lot.</p>

496

<p>There are a lot of factors when considering a college. There are, of course, the obvious factors such as location, size, majors offered, etc. Then there are the less obvious factors such as what the culture is like, size of classroom, extracurricular activities offered, etc.</p>

<p>I would ask around and even go on campus. Not on an official tour of the campus, but just go there on your own and ask random students what they like about that school. I normally check [Unbiased</a> student reviews](<a href=“http://www.hotcoursesusa.com/]Unbiased”>http://www.hotcoursesusa.com/)here.</p>

497

<p>Look Into Programs</p>

<p>The very first thing you need to consider when selecting a college are the programs they offer. Obviously, the college you select needs to offer a degree in the area of study you are interested in. Once you have narrowed your list of colleges down based on programs available, you need to then compare them side-by-side. Consider how long it will take you to complete the degree, what elements are different about their programs, and what you need to do in order to be admitted into the program.</p>

<p>Location</p>

<p>You also need to consider the location of the college when trying to select one. If you cannot move away in order to attend college, you will need to either select one that is nearby or take advantage of those that are offered online or through other distance education venues. If you are able to move, consider the type of community you will be moving to in order to attend the college and whether or not it is to your liking.</p>

<p>Consider Your Family</p>

<p>Most individuals staring a college career later in life already have a family to consider. Therefore, if you will be moving in order to attend college, consider how it will affect your family. In addition, think about how the hours you will be attending college will affect your family. Can you attend during hours that will still allow you to spend time with them? What kind of family schedule will need to be created in order to give you the time you need to engage in your studies?</p>

<p>Consider the Costs</p>

<p>The cost factor is certainly one that needs to be taken into consideration when selecting a college. Obviously, you don’t want to put yourself in an insurmountable amount of debt. At the same time, consider the boost to your income that the college education will provide you when determining how much you can afford to pay.</p>

<p>Look into Extracurricular</p>

<p>If extracurricular activities are important to you, be sure to look into what is offered by the college. Obviously, if you are only focusing on getting your degree and are not concerned with the entire experience of college, this will not be as much of a factor.</p>

<p>Consider the Size</p>

<p>If you are interested in a more personalized education, you might want to look into the size of the college before applying. A smaller college will generally give you more personalized attention, though you will have to give up the variety of available courses as well as extracurricular activities.</p>

<p>Find Out the Class Size</p>

<p>Even if you would like to attend a larger college, you still might be able to get more personal attention. Find out the average size of the classes, as some colleges put fairly low number caps on their classes. With an online class, a larger class may be beneficial because it will bring more to the online discussion.</p>

<p>Look into Its Reputation</p>

<p>The reputation of a college says a lot about what it can offer to you. It is also a good indication as to whether or not employers will consider your degree to be highly valuable. Some colleges are known for providing an excellent education within certain fields. If possible, choose the college with the best reputation.</p>

<p>Talk to Other Students</p>

<p>Most colleges will offer an open house for potential new students. Attend the open house and talk to current students. [Ask students opinion on the College and find out the pros and cons from their perspective.](<a href=“http://www.hotcoursesusa.com/us/reviews/search-college-university-reviews.html”>http://www.hotcoursesusa.com/us/reviews/search-college-university-reviews.html&lt;/a&gt;) </p>

<p>Audit a Class</p>

<p>Many colleges will allow you to audit a class, which means you can attend the class but you will not receive credit. Look into auditing a class or find out about a “Student for a Day” program so you can see how a typical class is run and find out if the teaching style and methodology is compatible with your learning needs.</p>

498

<p>I think weather’s a huge thing for me, because while pollen allergies are unpredictable, you never know when they may strike in full force. And so I would prefer to know that 10g of preventive medication against pollen won’t be overridden by excessive pollen.</p>

499

<p>Depends. I chose my college because of several factors. I wanted one with a good Biology program, good opportunities for Pre-Health majors, and a good price. I’m very happy with my choice. To be frank, graduating with a low amount of debt should be a big factor. A degree from a big-name school isn’t any good if you can’t pay off the loan you took out for it.</p>

500

<p>location is very important.
i wanna spend my four years in a urban where easy to find job, intern, or various experience.</p>