COLLEGE CHARACTERISTICS:
ACADEMICS
More than anything else, you go to college
to get an education. The type of academic atmosphere and variety of courses studied should
be considered when choosing a school.
College offers a wide variety of majors, or
courses of study.
SIZE
Colleges range in size from 150 to 80,000
students. There is a great difference between attending a small school (1,000 - 2,000),
usually referred to as a college, and a large school (20,000 - 50,000), usually referred
to as a university. Small schools offer you more personal involvement, a community
atmosphere, and small classes (from 5 to 50 students). Large schools tend to be more
impersonal, allow you to be more anonymous, and offer class sizes of anywhere from 20 to
1,000 students.
You should ask yourself:
Will I feel closed in and trapped at a
small college?
Will I feel lost and overwhelmed at a large
institution?
Will I feel more independent and free at a
large university?
Will I want large or small classes? Would I
like to have a good deal of interaction with my instructors during class or would I prefer
a large, more impersonal style of instruction?
Are the athletic facilities important to
me? Generally, the larger universities offer the greatest range of athletic sports and
facilities.
Size DOES make a difference.
ATMOSPHERE
Colleges, just like any group of people
working and living together, create their own atmosphere. Each college has a particular
atmosphere or environment that affects the performance and satisfaction of each student
there. Some factors that go into creating a college's atmosphere are:
- personal or impersonal handling of student
questions, concerns, and scheduling;
- an academic or less serious mood among the
students and their approach to responsibilities; and
- whether the school is single sex or
coeducational.
The type of atmosphere a college offers can
best be discovered by reading the catalog carefully, and, of course, by visiting the
campus and talking to as many people as you can.
COST
Obviously, a major factor to be considered
is the cost of attending a college. The total cost for a year, as computed by the college
financial aid office, includes tuition, fees, room and board, books, supplies,
transportation, and personal expenses. Total costs range from $1,000 for a community
college to $40,000 for a private school.
While cost is undoubtedly very important,
don't limit your choice of colleges to only those you can afford without financial
assistance. Many of the more expensive private schools have solid financial aid programs,
which may cover anywhere from 20% to the full cost, depending on your need. A good plan
would be to choose several colleges, including one that you can afford and several for
which you need aid. Although financial aid may seem uncertain at times, limiting
prospective colleges on a cost basis alone may exclude some excellent colleges from your
list.
We encourage every student to apply to any
of the state colleges and universities because they tend to have excellent programs at a
very low cost.
LOCATION OF THE COLLEGE
There are many reasons why the location of
the college may be important to you. You should always consider the expense of travel, the
need for independence versus the desire to stay near your family, and the effects of
living in a particular climate.
When considering the location of a college,
think about the campus setting. The physical environment of the college you go to may be
very important to you. Some people prefer the social, cultural, and economic activities of
a large city or metropolitan environment. Others would be unhappy if they could not be
near the ocean, mountains, or countryside. A major metropolitan area can offer many
benefits, but a student must adjust to the life-style of a big city. A college/university
which is located in the heart of a city is often comprised of multi-storied classroom
buildings and high-rise dormitories. There are also many colleges/universities which are
in rural settings with widespread campuses located many miles from the nearest
metropolitan areas. In addition, many institutions are located close to, but not in large
cities. The decision of a location and campus setting for your college should ultimately
include those schools where you will be most comfortable living for the next four years of
your life.
STUDENT BODY TYPE
A student body type can be comprised of all
men, all women, or both men and women. Students who may worry that they would be
cloistered at a single-sex college should know that today virtually all colleges have
exchange programs with other colleges whereby a student from one college may cross
register at another college to take courses for credit. Also dorm privileges, social
activities, and extracurricular involvements will vary due to the type of student body
your college has.
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