Choosing a College that is Choosing a College that is Right for you!Right for you!

College Advisor: Ms. ArguellesCollege Advisor: Ms. Arguelles

Kinds of Colleges Kinds of Colleges • Most students start by thinking about the Most students start by thinking about the

kind of college they want to attend. kind of college they want to attend. • Two Year/Four Year Institutions Two Year/Four Year Institutions • Public/PrivatePublic/Private• Church Affiliated InstitutionsChurch Affiliated Institutions

• Don’t narrow your choices!Don’t narrow your choices!• Many students exclude private colleges Many students exclude private colleges

because they think they're more because they think they're more expensive when sometimes financial aid expensive when sometimes financial aid available can make a private college available can make a private college more affordable!more affordable!

Step 1) Let’s focus on Step 1) Let’s focus on Majors!Majors!

• Research a few possible fields of study you may Research a few possible fields of study you may want to pursuewant to pursue

• Go to a University that offers multiple majors Go to a University that offers multiple majors you’re interested in!you’re interested in!

Tips for choosing possible majors: Here are a few Tips for choosing possible majors: Here are a few questions you should ask yourselves…questions you should ask yourselves…

What are my favorite classes?What are my favorite classes? What are my favorite hobbies/extracurricular What are my favorite hobbies/extracurricular

activities?activities? What do career/personality assessment tests What do career/personality assessment tests

usually suggest for me? (collegeboard.com; usually suggest for me? (collegeboard.com; princetonreview.com)princetonreview.com)

What do I love doing?What do I love doing? Where Where do I see myself for the rest of my life? do I see myself for the rest of my life? WhatWhat do I see myself doing for the rest of my do I see myself doing for the rest of my

life?life?

Majors/MinorsMajors/Minors

• UC Davis MajorsUC Davis Majors• CSU Pomona MajorsCSU Pomona Majors• Chapman University MajorsChapman University Majors

Step 2) Campus Step 2) Campus Setting Setting

LocationLocation

• Some students might Some students might begin their college begin their college search by setting a limit search by setting a limit on how far away from on how far away from home they want to be. home they want to be. • Might be an easy way Might be an easy way

to narrow options, but to narrow options, but it doesn’t mean you’ll it doesn’t mean you’ll find the best colleges find the best colleges for youfor you

Keep Your options Keep Your options open!open!

Questions to ConsiderQuestions to Consider

• How close to home do I want to be? Close How close to home do I want to be? Close enough for meals and laundry, to visit on enough for meals and laundry, to visit on weekends, or to only come home on breaks?weekends, or to only come home on breaks?

• Do I want to stick to a setting I’m used to or Do I want to stick to a setting I’m used to or try something new?  try something new?  

• If I look just a little farther — a few more If I look just a little farther — a few more miles or another half hour away — what miles or another half hour away — what other opportunities open up to me?other opportunities open up to me?

• Am I staying close because I think it will be Am I staying close because I think it will be less expensive? less expensive?

Campus and Community Campus and Community SettingSetting

• Faculty to Student RatioFaculty to Student Ratio

• Campus ReputationCampus Reputation• National RankingsNational Rankings

• SizeSize• Large vs. Small ClassesLarge vs. Small Classes• Urban vs. RuralUrban vs. Rural• SafetySafety• Surrounding resources (Supermarkets, Surrounding resources (Supermarkets,

transportation, shops, etc.)transportation, shops, etc.)

Just a few other Just a few other Characteristics!Characteristics!

• Gender specific vs. Co-EdGender specific vs. Co-Ed

• Student Body DiversityStudent Body Diversity• HIS: Hispanic Serving InstitutionHIS: Hispanic Serving Institution• HBCU: Historically Black Colleges and HBCU: Historically Black Colleges and

UniversitiesUniversities

• Religious AffiliationReligious Affiliation• La Sierra, Biola, Concordia, Pepperdine, La Sierra, Biola, Concordia, Pepperdine,

etc.etc.

How involved do you want How involved do you want to be!?to be!?

• Sports! (Division I, II, III)Sports! (Division I, II, III)

• Clubs and Student Organizations!!Clubs and Student Organizations!!• UCD Student OrgsUCD Student Orgs• Contact information listed on WebsiteContact information listed on Website• Get involved!Get involved!

Step 3) Costs and Step 3) Costs and Financial Aid Financial Aid

Want to Consider:Want to Consider:Tuition feesTuition feesRoom and boardRoom and boardBooks and Books and

suppliessuppliesBasic living Basic living

costscosts

But Remember!But Remember!Financial aid package Financial aid package

(March-June) (March-June) Federal/state grants Federal/state grants

(FAFSA)(FAFSA)Campus grants Campus grants

(supplementary (supplementary forms?)forms?)

Scholarships (campus-Scholarships (campus-based and external)based and external)

LoansLoans

STEP 4) StrategizeSTEP 4) Strategize

Apply to at least 4-6 SchoolsApply to at least 4-6 Schools Apply to at least one school in each other categories Apply to at least one school in each other categories

belowbelow

• Target: Acceptance is likely Target: Acceptance is likely • Your grades and scores place you in the middle 50Your grades and scores place you in the middle 50thth

percentile of the school’s studentspercentile of the school’s students

• Safety: Acceptance is highly likelySafety: Acceptance is highly likely• Your credentials clearly place you in the top 10Your credentials clearly place you in the top 10thth

percentile of the College’s applicant pool. percentile of the College’s applicant pool.

• Reach: The Long Shot or Dream SchoolReach: The Long Shot or Dream School• Your grades and test scores put you in the bottom 25Your grades and test scores put you in the bottom 25thth

percentile percentile

Step 5) Visit the Step 5) Visit the Campus!Campus!

• Always try to visit your campus choices! Always try to visit your campus choices! The best way to really get a feel for a The best way to really get a feel for a college is to personally visit!!college is to personally visit!!• If you can’t then visit the campus If you can’t then visit the campus

website- “virtual tours”website- “virtual tours”• Read the campus and Read the campus and

community newspapers community newspapers

to get a sense of local to get a sense of local

issues and activitiesissues and activities

Final AdviceFinal Advice• Don’t rely on name recognition, find your Don’t rely on name recognition, find your

best fit!best fit!

• Do your own research. Don’t accept Do your own research. Don’t accept generalizations about hard to get into generalizations about hard to get into schools. You might just be the right fit!schools. You might just be the right fit!

• Make your own decisions when deciding Make your own decisions when deciding which University to attend. Don’t go to a which University to attend. Don’t go to a school just because of friends.school just because of friends.

• Don’t rule out cost when thinking to Don’t rule out cost when thinking to applying for a school. Lots of financial aid applying for a school. Lots of financial aid and resources available to you!and resources available to you!

Email: Email: CavalierCollegeAdvising@gmail.comCavalierCollegeAdvising@gmail.com

Visit me sometime:Visit me sometime:• Career CenterCareer Center• M-F 7:30-3:30M-F 7:30-3:30

Bolsa Grande College Fair!Bolsa Grande College Fair!• Monday, October 13Monday, October 13thth 2014. 2014.

• 6:30pm-8:00pm. 6:30pm-8:00pm. • Bolsa Grande high School GymBolsa Grande high School Gym