Finding the College That is Right for YOU!
By: Natalie Preis
College
So many magazines, books, and articles give you helpful tips about how to get into college: how to get that perfect ACT grade you have been wanting, how to write essays for scholarships, and how to impress and be your best on your college interview. But how do you pick what is right for you? How do you really know if a college will suit your personality and your needs as a student? I have some useful tips you can use, based on my experience of choosing the right college for me!
1) Choose the size of a school that is right for you.
*1,000-6,000 is generally considered a small school- class sizes are usually ten to twenty—sometimes even less people
*7,000-12,000 is generally considered a medium sized school—class sizes are usually 20-40 people, depending on your major
*15,000-20,000 is considered as a large school, and has class sizes of usually 40 people or more
2) Find the kind of environment you study the best in.
We all know every school has a good study spot, but the most important aspect of this question is, what kind of school do you function the best? What makes you feel comfortable? Do you like one-on-one attention from your teachers, and like having the chance to get help from them during the day? Then a small school would suit your needs. Would you like more of a bustling crowd, with plenty of classmates who can help you understand the class materials? Maybe a medium to large school would be better for you. Can you concentrate on class better if you have a relationship with your teacher, or is it better for you to focus in a bigger setting? Figuring out the best studying situation for you now will not only help you succeed in finding the right college, but it will also help you to truly thrive and get the best grades you can get!
***** After you have pinned down what size of a school you want, and what kind of school will be best for you to succeed in,
3) Find which college gears towards your desired major(s)
This is extremely important, because you don’t want to wind up at a school that does not have the right programs for you! If you are considering an online college experience, try Guide to Career Education as they are good at matching your needs with a college.
4) Find out if you would like to live closer to home or further away
Even living on a campus fifteen minutes away from home is a huge adjustment. College is an awesome experience where you get to learn what it is like living alone; and if you would like to go home once a month, you could live as close as 15 minutes-3 hours away!
These are my simple tips for finding the right college for you!! For my college search, I listened to my mom’s advice and looked at small schools, because I went to a small high school. I was so thankful she narrowed my search down so much, and totally agreed with her idea! At Notre Dame High School, I got one-on-one attention from my teachers, and got help from them during the school day to truly understand my subjects. I LOVED it, I felt like I knew everyone, and loved the faith-based environment. So I looked for those qualities in the search for my right college. At first I thought I wanted to live further away from home at a faith-based school I really liked, but then I started to change my mind when I changed what I wanted to do for my major. I also figured out I did not want to live 4 or more hours away from home. Instead I wanted to be 15 minutes- 2 hours away. Luckily, I found a school, with a gorgeous campus, close enough to home with the perfect program for me! Looking for the right college takes a lot of care and time, and I hope these tips will help you find a place where you will thrive in your studies, your relationships, your self-esteem, and your spirituality.
(Natalie will be attending McKendree University in Lebanon, Illinois this August. She will be majoring in Music Business.)
Tags: college, environment, finding, major, right, size, you
