choosing a college that is right for you (all grades)

8/2/2019 Choosing a College That is Right for You (All Grades)

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Right for YouPresent ed by Cal-SOAP

Informat ion gathered/ quoted from: Randal l S. Hansens Choosing a Coll ege that s Right for You andwww.CollegeBoard.com


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ep : n ng ou our a or

eterm ne a ew poss e e s o stu y t at you maywant to pursue in college.

Maj ors

Minors

It is perfect ly f ineand sometimes advisable to applyas Undeclared (but it is import ant to the collegesearch process that you have a general idea).

50%of colle e students chan e their ma or 1-3 t imes!


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ep : n ng ou our a or

ps or c oos ng poss e ma ors: ere are a ew

quest ions you should ask yourselves

What are my favorite classes?

What are my favorite hobbies/ ext racurricular act ivit ies?

What do career/ personality assessment tests usually

What am I good at?

What do I love doing?

Wheredo I see myself for the rest of my life? What do I see myself doing for the rest of my life?


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ep : a e-or- rea r er a

nst tut on type:

Public

Private

Vocat ional/ specialized

4-year

-year

Degrees offered:

. . , . . , . . , . . , . . ,Ph.D., Cert if icates, etc.


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a ors an m nors o ere :

Do the maj ors offered match your interests?

ca em c ocus o campus:

Theoretical vs. practical

Po ular ma ors and ercenta e of students in each ma or

General educat ion and maj or curricula:

Structured vs. individualized

Graduat ion rate/ t ime:

Past student performances


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ampus enro ment s ze:

Large vs. small classes

acu y:

Number, background, distribution

ampus qua y repu a on:

National rankings

Alumni advice

Note of caut ion: Campus reputat ion is highly subject iveand should not be ones ult imat e priorit y.


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eograp c oca on:

Distance from home

In-state vs. out-of-state

Campus and communitysetting:

Urban vs. rural

Safety

Surrounding resources(stores, eateries, residential

Housing:

Availabilit y (Guarantees?)


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ust a ew campus c aracter st cs t at may e

import ant to you:

Religious Aff il iat ion

HBCU: Historically Black Colleges and Universit ies

Gender specific vs. coed

Campus resources available:

Computer labs

Food and social quads


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xt racurr cu ar act v t es o ere :

Sports (Division I, II, III)

Creat ive and erformin art s theat re music dance artdesign, etc.)

Clubs and student organizat ions (i .e. social j ust ice, socialnetworkin environmental conservat ion etc.

Social l ife:

Sorori t ies and fraternit ies

Student involvement


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os s:

Tuit ion fees

Room and board

Books and supplies

Basic living costs

nanc a a o ere :

Financial aid package (March-June)

Federal/ state grants (FAFSA)

Campus grants (supplementary forms?) Scholarships (campus-based and external)

Loans


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ep : e ong s

eg n comp ng t e ong

list of colleges that fulf il lthe criteria that aremost important to youfrom Step 2.

Time frame: Freshmanyear t il l early October ofyour Senior year

Remember: This l ist is

not final. Make it as longas you want. The moreoptions, the better!


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tep : esearc , researc , researc

earn more a out your ong st o campus c o ces y

investigating each. Here are some tools:

College catalogs, campus visits, campus websites, third-party websites (like CollegeBoard.com), college fairs,alumni, high school counselors, campus advisors, and Cal-

SOAP College Peer Advisors. Especially helpful: CollegeBoard College Profiles and College

MatchMaker

Time frame: Sophomore year t il l early October of your

Senior year


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ep : e s s

s ng e mos mpor an cr er a rom ep an a o e

research you have gathered, narrow down your long list ofcolleges to a manageable number. (This number will vary bystudent.

Choose as many colleges as you have t ime and financialresources for which to apply.

Don t be afraid t o apply to reach schools !

ALWAYS have a few back-up schools.

All students should apply to at least one nearby communitycollege in case you decide to take the transfer path OR if you

s ou nee o a e a genera e uca on c ass a may eimpacted at your university

Time frame: September-October of your Senior year


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ep : e s s

no e on se ec v y : ven u ge cons ra n s an

overall increased academic performance in recentyears, many campuses are enforcing more selective

.

What selectivity means for you (application criteria):

More select ive campuses

Very select ive campuses

Importance of multiple applications

Renewed importance of community college


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ep : ampus s s

visit the campus. Experience your potent ial home of 4 years by taking a tour, staying in

the dorms, talking to students and faculty, eating in the quad, andsitting in on a class.

If you cannot visit the campus, here are some tips:

.

Research online for campus history, statistics, and interesting facts.

Email or call faculty and staff by looking for the Contacts page on thecampus website.

Acquaint yourself with the classes offered by reading syllabi postedonline.

Read the campus and communit y newspapers to get a sense of localissues and act ivit ies.


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ep : pp y

pp y to as many o t e sc oo s on your s st as

realist ically possible. Time frame: November to January of your Senior year

UC and CSU applicat ion deadlines: November 30

Private and Independent college deadlines: vary

Cal-SOAP College Applicat ion and Scholarship Workshop:

Saturday, November 21

Visit www.SanDiegoCalSoap.com for more informat ion


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ep : oney, money, money

e you re wa t ng to

hear back from campuses,apply for as much financial

.

FAFSA deadline: March 2,

2010

Scholarships: Apply widely!

www.fastweb.com

www.scholarships.com

www.maldef.org


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ep : ou ve o a

eg n sort ng t roug acceptance re ect on et ters as

well as financial aid packages. Time frame: March-June of your Senior year

Make sure each campus sends you a financial aid packagein order to better inform your decision process


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ep : ec s on me

e ect your campus c o ce

Submit oneSIR (Statement of Intent to Register) by thedeadline requested (usually May 1) to your college.

REMAIN UP-TO-DATE WITH COLLEGE MAIL AND EMAIL

Submit all requested paperwork by the deadlines:

Orientation

Registration

Supplementary admission forms

Campus-based financial aid forms


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na ps

.

Don t rely on name recognit ion. Find your best f it !

part y school, too expensive ). Do your own research.

Don t be afraid t o apply t o reach schools. But, always have a fewback-up plans.

Don t pick campuses j ust because your friends are going there. Makeyour own decisions!

. .

And, remember, college is an invest ment in your future.

Talk with your family, teachers, counselors, and Cal-SOAP advisors aboutyour choices. We are here to hel !


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a - o ege a r

eet representat ves rom 100 co eges across t e . .

at Cal-SOAPs annual College Fair! Date: Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Time: 6:00pm 8:30pm

Locat ion: Scot t ish Rite Center

San Diego, CA 92108

To contact Cal-SOAP: (858) 569-1866

. .

choosing a college that is right for you (all grades)

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