Choosing the Right College
Depending on your personal interests, the following characteristics should play a role in helping you
narrow down the field of colleges.
AFFILIATION
- Public
- Private, independent
- Private, church affiliated
- Proprietary
SIZE
- Very small (fewer than 1,000 students)
- Small (1,000-3,999 students)
- Medium (4,000-8,999 students)
- Large (9,000-19,000 students)
- Very Large (more than 20,000 students)
COMMUNITY
- Rural
- Small town
- Suburban
- Urban
LOCATION
- In your hometown
- Less than 3 hours from home
- More than 3 hours from home
HOUSING
- Dorm
- Off-camous apartment
- Home
- Facilities and services for students with disabilities
STUDENT BODY
- All male
- All female
- Coed
- Minority representation
- Primarily one religious denomination
- Primarily full-time students
- Primarily part-time students
- Primarily commuter students
- Primarily residential students
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ACADEMIC ENVIRONMENT
- Majors offered
- Student-faculty ratio
- Faculty teaching reputation
- Instruction by professors versus teaching assistants
- Facilities (such as classrooms and labs)
- Libraries
- Independent study available
- International study available
- Internships available
FINANCIAL AID
- Scholarships
- Grants
- Loans
- Work-study program
- Part-time or full-time jobs
SUPPORT SERVICES
- Academic counseling
- Career/placement counseling
- Personal counseling
- Student health facilities
ACTIVITIES/SOCIAL CLUBS
- Clubs, organizations
- Greek life
- Athletics, intramurals
- Other
ATHLETICS
- Division I, II, or III
- Sports offered
- Scholarships available
Specialized Programs
- Gifted student services
- Services for student with disabilities or special needs
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