You may have already started to look at different colleges, but how do you compare them? Here are four broad categories that you should consider when evaluating a college.
- General Information – Where is it located? Is public or private? How many students go to school here?
- Academic – What majors are offered? Does the school offer the academic area you are interested in? Undecided about your major – how will the school help you choose a program of study? What other special academic programs does the school offer – honors, academic themed housing, study abroad, etc.?
- Admissions – Check out the acceptance rate. How hard is it to get into? What are the average ACT or SAT scores of admitted students? What about the average GPA of admitted students? Is it a weighted or unweighted GPA?
- Financial Aid – What is the average merit award? What is the percent of need met? Average financial aid size? Cost of attendance?
- Social Experience – Explore the college style. How many freshmen live on campus? What is the social life like? What are some of the main events on campus?
Kaetlyn, a recent graduate, has tips for you about the “Coolest Features of GuidedPath Search”. Read Kaetlyn’s tips for using GuidedPath Search when comparing different colleges.