Post on 06-Apr-2018
8/2/2019 Choosing a College That is Right for You (All Grades)
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Right for YouPresent ed by Cal-SOAP
Informat ion gathered/ quoted from: Randal l S. Hansens Choosing a Coll ege that s Right for You andwww.CollegeBoard.com
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ep : n ng ou our a or
eterm ne a ew poss e e s o stu y t at you maywant to pursue in college.
Maj ors
Minors
It is perfect ly f ineand sometimes advisable to applyas Undeclared (but it is import ant to the collegesearch process that you have a general idea).
50%of colle e students chan e their ma or 1-3 t imes!
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ep : n ng ou our a or
ps or c oos ng poss e ma ors: ere are a ew
quest ions you should ask yourselves
What are my favorite classes?
What are my favorite hobbies/ ext racurricular act ivit ies?
What do career/ personality assessment tests usually
What am I good at?
What do I love doing?
Wheredo I see myself for the rest of my life? What do I see myself doing for the rest of my life?
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ep : a e-or- rea r er a
nst tut on type:
Public
Private
Vocat ional/ specialized
4-year
-year
Degrees offered:
. . , . . , . . , . . , . . ,Ph.D., Cert if icates, etc.
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ep : a e-or- rea r er a
a ors an m nors o ere :
Do the maj ors offered match your interests?
ca em c ocus o campus:
Theoretical vs. practical
Po ular ma ors and ercenta e of students in each ma or
General educat ion and maj or curricula:
Structured vs. individualized
Graduat ion rate/ t ime:
Past student performances
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ep : a e-or- rea r er a
ampus enro ment s ze:
Large vs. small classes
acu y:
Number, background, distribution
ampus qua y repu a on:
National rankings
Alumni advice
Note of caut ion: Campus reputat ion is highly subject iveand should not be ones ult imat e priorit y.
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ep : a e-or- rea r er a
eograp c oca on:
Distance from home
In-state vs. out-of-state
Campus and communitysetting:
Urban vs. rural
Safety
Surrounding resources(stores, eateries, residential
Housing:
Availabilit y (Guarantees?)
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ep : a e-or- rea r er a
ust a ew campus c aracter st cs t at may e
import ant to you:
Religious Aff il iat ion
HBCU: Historically Black Colleges and Universit ies
Gender specific vs. coed
Campus resources available:
Computer labs
Food and social quads
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ep : a e-or- rea r er a
xt racurr cu ar act v t es o ere :
Sports (Division I, II, III)
Creat ive and erformin art s theat re music dance artdesign, etc.)
Clubs and student organizat ions (i .e. social j ust ice, socialnetworkin environmental conservat ion etc.
Social l ife:
Sorori t ies and fraternit ies
Student involvement
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ep : a e-or- rea r er a
os s:
Tuit ion fees
Room and board
Books and supplies
Basic living costs
nanc a a o ere :
Financial aid package (March-June)
Federal/ state grants (FAFSA)
Campus grants (supplementary forms?) Scholarships (campus-based and external)
Loans
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ep : e ong s
eg n comp ng t e ong
list of colleges that fulf il lthe criteria that aremost important to youfrom Step 2.
Time frame: Freshmanyear t il l early October ofyour Senior year
Remember: This l ist is
not final. Make it as longas you want. The moreoptions, the better!
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tep : esearc , researc , researc
earn more a out your ong st o campus c o ces y
investigating each. Here are some tools:
College catalogs, campus visits, campus websites, third-party websites (like CollegeBoard.com), college fairs,alumni, high school counselors, campus advisors, and Cal-
SOAP College Peer Advisors. Especially helpful: CollegeBoard College Profiles and College
MatchMaker
Time frame: Sophomore year t il l early October of your
Senior year
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ep : e s s
s ng e mos mpor an cr er a rom ep an a o e
research you have gathered, narrow down your long list ofcolleges to a manageable number. (This number will vary bystudent.
Choose as many colleges as you have t ime and financialresources for which to apply.
Don t be afraid t o apply to reach schools !
ALWAYS have a few back-up schools.
All students should apply to at least one nearby communitycollege in case you decide to take the transfer path OR if you
s ou nee o a e a genera e uca on c ass a may eimpacted at your university
Time frame: September-October of your Senior year
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ep : e s s
no e on se ec v y : ven u ge cons ra n s an
overall increased academic performance in recentyears, many campuses are enforcing more selective
.
What selectivity means for you (application criteria):
More select ive campuses
Very select ive campuses
Importance of multiple applications
Renewed importance of community college
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ep : ampus s s
visit the campus. Experience your potent ial home of 4 years by taking a tour, staying in
the dorms, talking to students and faculty, eating in the quad, andsitting in on a class.
If you cannot visit the campus, here are some tips:
.
Research online for campus history, statistics, and interesting facts.
Email or call faculty and staff by looking for the Contacts page on thecampus website.
Acquaint yourself with the classes offered by reading syllabi postedonline.
Read the campus and communit y newspapers to get a sense of localissues and act ivit ies.
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ep : pp y
pp y to as many o t e sc oo s on your s st as
realist ically possible. Time frame: November to January of your Senior year
UC and CSU applicat ion deadlines: November 30
Private and Independent college deadlines: vary
Cal-SOAP College Applicat ion and Scholarship Workshop:
Saturday, November 21
Visit www.SanDiegoCalSoap.com for more informat ion
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ep : oney, money, money
e you re wa t ng to
hear back from campuses,apply for as much financial
.
FAFSA deadline: March 2,
2010
Scholarships: Apply widely!
www.fastweb.com
www.scholarships.com
www.maldef.org
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ep : ou ve o a
eg n sort ng t roug acceptance re ect on et ters as
well as financial aid packages. Time frame: March-June of your Senior year
Make sure each campus sends you a financial aid packagein order to better inform your decision process
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ep : ec s on me
e ect your campus c o ce
Submit oneSIR (Statement of Intent to Register) by thedeadline requested (usually May 1) to your college.
REMAIN UP-TO-DATE WITH COLLEGE MAIL AND EMAIL
Submit all requested paperwork by the deadlines:
Orientation
Registration
Supplementary admission forms
Campus-based financial aid forms
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na ps
.
Don t rely on name recognit ion. Find your best f it !
part y school, too expensive ). Do your own research.
Don t be afraid t o apply t o reach schools. But, always have a fewback-up plans.
Don t pick campuses j ust because your friends are going there. Makeyour own decisions!
. .
And, remember, college is an invest ment in your future.
Talk with your family, teachers, counselors, and Cal-SOAP advisors aboutyour choices. We are here to hel !
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a - o ege a r
eet representat ves rom 100 co eges across t e . .
at Cal-SOAPs annual College Fair! Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Time: 6:00pm 8:30pm
Locat ion: Scot t ish Rite Center
San Diego, CA 92108
To contact Cal-SOAP: (858) 569-1866
. .