Consider These Ten Factors When Choosing Colleges
Selecting colleges is, perhaps, the most important part of the college admissions process. After all, if
you do not select colleges that match your preferences or if you sell yourself short or choose colleges
whose admissions requirements do not match your background and achievements, then you are
simply wasting your time and money and jeopardizing your future. The key is to start early and cast a
wide net. Selecting a large pool of 20 to 25 colleges upfront gives you the flexibility to eliminate
colleges that you decide do not suit you and still have a solid range of colleges to apply to. To choose
an initial group of colleges, you need to decide what aspects of a college are important to you. Below
are 10 factors that will help you select colleges that match your preferences. You should weigh the
importance of each of these factors to you. But try not to be too rigid in your preferences as they may
change as you learn more about colleges.
Once you have selected a pool of colleges based on your preferences, access your chances of
admission for each of the colleges, so that you can determine how your background and achievements
match those of the colleges and whether you have chosen a balanced range of colleges (i.e. a
sufficient number of safety, likely/ballpark, and reach schools).
Click here to find specific information regarding the factors below for the nation's top colleges.
1. Geographic Location
For many students, location is an important criterion for selecting colleges. Many decide to go to
college in a different region of the country from where they grew up. Others want to stay near their
home town or at least within driving distance. A strict adherence to a specific geographic location can
severely limit your college choices. It may be advisable to select colleges beyond the geographic
location you currently favor because preferences can change, especially once you start visiting
colleges. Make sure that geographic location do