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High School At Home
Choosing a College
Kinds of Colleges |
Distinguishing Characteristics |
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| Small, liberal arts |
Personal attention, small class size, focus on preparation for life, rather than a single narrow field. Faculty focused on teaching rather than research.
Example: Randolph-Macon College (www.rmc.edu)
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| Mid-size university |
Broad array of majors and activities, faculty focused on teaching, sometimes specialized colleges within the university.
Examples: University of Richmond (www.richmond.edu), University of Southern California (www.usc.edu)
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| Large university |
Vast array of majors and activities, class size can be very large. Less personal attention, usually more diverse student body. Can be public or private.
Examples: Virginia Commonwealth University (www.vcu.edu), California State Los Angeles (www.calstatela.edu)
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| Single-sex college |
Similar to a liberal arts college, strong role models and alumni/ae networks, opportunity to focus on studies.
Example: Mary Baldwin College (www.mbc.edu)
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| Technical College |
Focus on engineering and science degrees, hands-on experience, specific career preparation.
Examples: MIT (www.mit.edu), Virginia Tech (www.vt.edu), Cal Tech (www.caltech.edu)
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| Community college |
Two-year school. Relatively inexpensive, easy to get into. Good opportunity to get some college experience before committing to a four-year school.
Example: J. Sargeant Reynolds (www.reynolds.com)
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Everyday Education's
Steps to Choosing Your College
- Research online at Peterson's Best College Deals
- Choose at least 3-5 colleges -- some with your heart, at least two with your head
- Visit each college if possible
- Apply for early decision if you are sure of where you want to go
- Remember you can succeed anywhere
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Other things to consider
- Available Majors
- Faculty / Student Ratio
- Close to home / Far away
- Big city / Small town
- Sports / Activities
- Financial Aid
- Religious/Secular
- Your high school grades
- Your career plans
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