What Factors to Consider When Making Your College List
Here’s a reality check: the college rankings stated on Google searches are almost useless. There are some college rankings that take into account student experiences (Niche), but online rankings on the whole, like US News College Rankings, probably aren’t the best thing to base your whole college list on. Many popular college rankings are based on genes factors such as lower admissions rates, higher test score averages, higher alumni giving, etc. But these criteria don’t always reflect the best fit for you as an individual. Even so, many colleges have climbed up the rankings by gaming the system (read here, it’s pretty interesting.) Your college list should be based on factors that matter the most to you rather than a single number on some arbitrary list.
Everyone has their own preferences and priorities in terms of what they want in a college, so here are some factors to think about when making your college list.
- Location
Where do you see yourself for the next four years? Whether it’s in sunny Southern California or snow-covered Boston, it’s important to consider factors like climate, the surrounding environment (urban, suburban, or rural), and the local opportunities around the school.
Considering the local scene is also important — Do you need to have lots of green space around you? Do you enjoy having a college town environment? Sure, a school might be in New York state, but you have to consider if it is actually located in the city environment that you are looking forward to experiencing. It’s the same for research and internship opportunities — Would it make sense to study marine science in landlocked Nebraska?
2. Distance from Home
As much as you’ve heard your classmates (and maybe even yourself) groan that you want to get out of high school and to get out of the house as soon as possible, come your first fall semester, you might not actually feel that way. Being close to home can be enticing for some: inexpensive travel and the ability to do your laundry at the comfort of your own home. On the other hand, independence does have its perks, like getting experience for adulthood and experiencing a new environment. At the end of the day, the choice is yours.
3. Diversity and Size of Student Population
When people usually hear diversity, they immediately think of cultural diversity, but diversity can be found in other fields too. Whether it’s philosophical, socio-economic, political, or racial diversity, the people in your student body will have a significant effect on what your college experience will be. Most, if not all, colleges post their student demographics: these statistics might be something to look at to ensure that you’ll be comfortable in the new environment.
4. Diversity of Majors
You’re going to college for a reason: to further your knowledge on a particular area. Depending on whether you want to study a discipline in STEM or major in the humanities, research if colleges will allow you to pursue coursework outside of your major or if there is enough support for your interests in the college’s corresponding department. For example: liberal arts colleges (LACs) are not as well known for their engineering departments due to the relative lack of opportunities geared toward that field compared to the more STEM-focused research universities. It’s the same for research institutions: if you want to pursue a English as your major, you probably wouldn’t be considering MIT due to its heavier focus on STEM and the lessened distribution of resources to the humanities departments.
It’s also important to keep in mind that many students change their mind about what they want to study during their college experience. Even if you’re completely set on studying something in particular, it might be useful to look at colleges that have a greater diversity of majors, minors, and concentrations so that in the case that you change your mind, you won’t be stuck studying something that you no longer have interest in.
5. Availability of Extracurriculars
When you get on campus, you’re not going to spend all of your time cooped up in your room studying. Looking at each college’s list of student organizations is a great way to determine if you can see yourself on that campus. From cultural clubs to volunteer organizations, the events and meetings held by your peers will be where you’ll meet people that share your same interests. Most colleges also allow you to create your own clubs if there is not one to your interest.
These extracurriculars may be one of the defining features of your school’s social scene. Finding out how much of an impact greek life, sports, and other special interest organizations have on campus will be helpful in determining the college fit.
6. Career and Study Abroad Resources
No matter what field you hold an interested in, co-ops, internships, and study abroad opportunities are important, if not crucial for scoring a great job right out of college. Depending on the college, there are many different resources available so that students can get real-world experience in different fields. Another factor to consider is the alumni network and alumni groups at a college: oftentimes, having connections to certain alumni at certain institutions will give you the leg-up due to your shared experiences.
7. Cost
Perhaps one of the most important factors is affordability. Use each college’s net price calculator to estimate your cost of attendance (COA) — The sticker price on the website isn’t always what you will pay to attend! It might also be helpful to sit down with your parents to determine what’s economically feasible for your family. Scholarship sites like www.peerlift.org may help with reducing your costs by making it easier to find reliable and credible, student-curated scholarship opportunities online!
8. Housing
Many colleges now have learning-living communities with dorms reserved for students with similar interests. These communities may help you feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar environment since you’ll be living with people that share similar experiences as you. It is also important to note that while many colleges guarantee housing for freshmen, many institutions do not guarantee housing for the years that follow. The costs associated with external housing is a factor that should be considered.
9. Acceptance Rate
Having a range of “safety,” “match,” and “reach” schools is one of the most recommended ways to approach the college admissions cycle by students that have previously gone through the process. Looking at each college’s admitted student range of ACT and SAT scores, GPAs, and acceptance rates will estimate the chances of which you may be a good fit at the college — but numbers aren’t everything. Most institutions are now pursuing a more holistic college admissions process, emphasizing extracurriculars and essays more than ever before.
It helps to rank the above characteristics on what’s most important to you, so that when you’re doing your research, it’ll be easier to eliminate and add schools to your list based upon your own personal preferences. Take into account your own circumstances without worrying about what's best according to a college ranking that does not include you in its formula.
