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Why college?
Types of Colleges
Exercise
Course Work
Tech Schools
Standardized Tests
Counselor Questions
Independent Prep
Choosing a College
Cost of College
Paying For It
Long Range Plan
Terms
More Info
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How can my child go about choosing a college?
Colleges are located in big cities, suburbs, and small
towns throughout the country. Some enroll tens of thousands of students; others
enroll only a few hundred. Some are public; others are private. Some private
institutions are affiliated with religious institutions; others are not. Some
schools enroll only women, others only men.
The type of institution best suited to your child depends on his or her
individual needs and talents. Your child can begin focusing on the choice of a
college by considering the following questions:
- Why do I want to go to college?
- What do I hope to achieve in college?
- Do I have some idea of what I want to study or for which job I want to
prepare?
- Do I want to live at home or go away to school?
- Do I prefer an urban or suburban environment?
- Would I be happier in a small college or at a large university?
In order to choose a college, you and your child should ask the following
questions about the nature and quality of the schools in which your child has an
interest. (Ask these questions when you meet staff in the admissions office of
the colleges. You may also find answers to these questions in the colleges'
catalogs or in reference books on colleges.)
The Nature of the Education Offered
The Quality of the College
- How many students who start at this school earn a certificate or
degree? How many drop out?
A high drop-out rate may suggest that students are dissatisfied with the
education an institution provides. Be particularly careful about having your
child enroll in a school that graduates a very low percentage of its students.
Also ask about tuition refund policies for students who drop out in the first
weeks of an educational program.
- What is the loan default rate at this college? Do students repay
their student loans?
The default rate is the percentage of students who took out student loans to
help pay their expenses but did not repay them properly. A high default rate may
suggest that students who borrowed never completed their educational program, or
that they were unable to find jobs and repay the loans when they graduated.
Colleges with consistently high default rates may be barred from student loan
programs, and students attending these institutions may thus be ineligible for
Federal loans.
- Have other students who have gone to this college liked it? What has
their experience been?
Colleges should be able to refer you to current students or recent graduates of
their programs. These individuals can give you their opinion about classes,
facilities, the faculty (teachers), and the skills they have learned.
- What kinds of facilities does this college have? Are they adequate
for my child's needs?
You and your child should consider the condition of classrooms, libraries, and
dormitories when choosing a college. The types of facilities appropriate for a
college depend on the type of education provided. For example, a college
offering classes in the sciences should have modern laboratories, and an
institution that offers computer education classes should have adequate computer
facilities.
Admissions Requirements and Financial Aid
- What admissions requirements does this college have?
Each institution can require students to take certain high school classes and
submit certain items with their applications. Make sure you know what is
required by the schools that interest your child.
- Is this college accredited by an agency recognized by the Secretary
of Education and eligible to participate in Federal student aid programs?
Federal financial aid is available only to students attending eligible
institutions. Students attending other institutions cannot receive Federal
financial aid. If you are interested in having your child apply for Federal
financial aid, be wary of unaccredited institutions and those with high default
rates. You can call the Federal Student Financial Aid Information Center
toll-free to find out if a particular college is an eligible institution. The
number is 1-800-4FED-AID.
College Inquiries
Using the form below, help your child list the colleges he or she knows about
and might be interested in attending. Write down whether they are two-year or
four-year colleges or universities. Ask your child why these schools are
appealing to him or her. You and your child may want to contact the colleges to
get more information.
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College Inquiries |
| College |
Location
Address |
2 or 4 Year |
Why Appealing? |
Date Contacted |
Date Received Info |
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From: "Preparing Your Child for
College" Copyright© 2000-01 The U.S. Department of Education, All
Rights Reserved
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