There are so many colleges and universities in the world it can be so hard to choose just one to attend. Try not to choose a school to apply to simply because you’d love that name on the bumper sticker on your car. You need to choose schools that will be the best place for you. Consider what you hope to gain from the college experience. Below are some things to consider when choosing colleges to apply to.

• Size (Do you want this new environment to be bigger than your high school? Smaller?)
• Public or private institutions
• Two-year, Four-year, career/technical/military school (How long do you want your college program to be? Do you want to go to a commuter school or live on campus? Is the military important to your education? How ‘bout religious affiliation?)
• Proximity to home (It may sound nice to hop on a plane and go far, far away to school, but will you miss your family, friends and the familiarity of your hometown too much? If you choose to go across the country to college how often will you be able to fly home?)
• Specialized programs (i.e. dance, art, nursing)
• Extracurricular activities offered (Do you belong to any clubs, teams, or organizations that are really important to you? Do you feel that you need to continue your involvement with this group in college?)
• Travel costs and transportation issues (If you do decide that your headed to Hawaii for college be sure that you can afford to come home to NH for winter break! If you would like to commute to college, think about how you will afford the payments and responsibilities that come with owning a car or taking the bus.)
• Diversity of campus community (It may be extremely important to you to be in an educational environment where diversity in character, culture and race are encouraged.)
• Cost (How will you afford this dream school?)
• Availability of merit-based and need-based financial aid (Do your research. Find out which each, individual school you’re applying to offers for these monies.)

Looking for answers? We’re here to help.
Contact the gurus of college searches at The Center for College Planning at 1-800-525-2577. Make an appointment or chat with us over the phone.

There are so many colleges and universities it could take a lifetime to learn about all of them. Nevertheless, you should do as much research as you need to become aware of all of the schools that may be a good fit for you. Want to learn more about schools? Want the little, gritty details? Visit the link below.

Cool: College Opportunities On-Line for info on over 9,000 schools in the United States!
http://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cool/

Who Should I Contact for Information?

Don’t be intimidated by the college admissions office or the financial aid office. They will be more than happy to chat with you and answer any outstanding questions you or your parents may have. Each office on college campuses is in charge of different parts of the students’ experience. Here’s who to go to and when.

Admissions Office

• viewbooks and catalogues
• admission criteria (They will let you know everything they need from you to consider your application complete.)
• campus visit (overnights, tours, etc)
• admission interviews
• admission applications (They process all of the paperwork that you send in for admission from the essay to transcripts.)

Financial Aid Office

• financial aid applications
• breakdown of expenses and charges (There are charges beyond tuition, room and board. If you’d like to know more about these expenses get in touch with them.)
• financial aid award letters (If you have questions about what scholarships, grants and loans that are being offered contact financial aid.)

Business/Bursar’s Office

• questions regarding payment of the bill (They will let you know who to write checks out to and help you figure out payment plans.)

The Campus Visit  ->