Choosing the right school: Tips for good college fit Erika Nash – counselor, lewis-palmer high school

Where to start?? There are approximately 4000 colleges and universities in the United States alone! Lots of variation in location, size, cost, opportunities, etc.

Online tools Naviance college search: enter through LPHS/PRHS homepage College Board BigFuture: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org

College representative visits Most visits to high schools happen in the fall Students can see a list of visits and sign up in Naviance District 38 college fair: October

Tips for getting the most out of college rep visits/college fairs Research schools on your own first Come prepared with a list of questions: admissions, academic programs, student life, athletics, etc. Be prepared to talk about what you’re looking for in a school Keep the rep’s contact info for questions later

Campus visits Check out virtual campus tours Try to schedule your visit at a time when classes are in session. Be sure to see the inner workings of academic buildings. If arranged ahead of time, your student may be able to sit in a class Focus on academic programs and ask questions: class sizes, graduation rate, employment rate, etc.

College Visits Cont. Ask about student resources: academic help, medical and mental health, campus safety Try to get a feel for the community surrounding campus Talk to students on campus! Pick up a student newspaper Document specifics from your visit

Important considerations Tuition and fees Graduation rate Scholarships/grants Major, degree, and employment Debt

Tuition, fees, and other costs New facilities/amenities often equate to rising tuition and student fees Schools usually take out loans to pay for these Living accommodations can highly impact the cost Consider cost of off campus living for the town Meal plans: sometimes less is more Textbooks for elective courses

Graduation rates Always research these – especially if a school is offering a really good deal Many published grad rates are 6-year Don’t include transfer students FAFSA provides graduation rates for the colleges you select Of students who graduate college, only about 50% of do so in 4 years

Scholarships and grants Once accepted, there is usually automatic consideration for scholarships and grants “Undermatched” schools tend to offer more merit- based scholarship money Do your research! College Opportunity Fund (COF) Other scholarship resources: Naviance Fastweb.com

Major, degree, and employment Within a career field, not much variation in starting or middle salary, regardless of specific school attended (payscale.com) College degree isn’t always closely related to ultimate career field Ivy League schools generally have undergrad acceptance rates of 5-10% Many students choose to pursue continuing education degrees through highly selective schools instead

Debt and repayment Student loans are “good debt” – but not a degree at any cost Congress mandated schools to have a net price calculator on their websites (sometimes very well hidden!) Federal gov’t recommendations: No more than 15% of income to make loan payments Total undergrad borrowing should be no more than expected first year salary

Resources Naviance College Search College Board BigFuture College Search: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org College/major/salary information: www.payscale.com Selectivity, cost, graduation/retention rates: www.collegeresults.org College Opportunity Fund: cof.college-assist.org Scholarships: www.fastweb.com College Unbound: The Future of Higher Education and What It Means for Students by Jeffrey Selingo