College Planning Guide
College Visitation Schedule
Standarized Testing

College Planning Guide

Information You Should Know About a College

Here is a short list of things you should know about a college. Anything you can easily learn from a book or web-site (such as “how many students attend your college?”) are things you should learn in advance of your college visit through your research. If you’re not able to answer any of these questions, be sure to ask the admissions interviewer or tour guide.

Location:

  • Where do students hang out?
  • What are some of the most popular things to do in the town/city in which the college is located?
  • Do students mostly stay on campus or do they venture into the town/city in which the college is located?

Academics:

  • How strong is the advising component at the college?
  • Size of a typical freshman class? How many T.A.’s teach class versus full-time professors?
  • What are the most popular majors? How are the research facilities? Who can do research (seniors only?)?
  • What is the college’s record with graduate schools and job placement?

Requirements:

  • How selective? or What percentage of the applicant pool is accepted?
  • What grades/curriculum do they expect on the high school transcript?
  • SAT or ACT? What is the average?
  • SAT Subject Tests? (How many? Are certain ones required?)
  • Interview required or recommended? Can an off-campus/alumni interview be arranged?

Due Dates:

  • Applications? Early Decision or Early Action (single-choice Early Action)? Rolling?
  • What is the latest date you can take the SAT or ACT?
  • Financial Aid forms?

Costs:

  • Tuition? Room and Board? Fees?
  • Chances for financial aid or merit scholarship?

Other kinds of information students should keep track of:

  • addresses of the colleges
  • telephone numbers of admissions offices
  • dates of planned campus visits (open houses, overnight opportunities, etc.)
  • special deadlines (example: theatre, scholarships, etc.)
  • names and e-mail addresses of contact persons at the college
  • names of representatives who have visited (or will visit) Steiner
  • impressions of campuses – you may want to jot this down immediately after visiting each school, especially if you are visiting several schools over the course of a week

Among all the information to be assimilated, deadlines, of course, are extremely important. It is the responsibility of the student to be aware of deadlines and to meet them. College advisors frequently remind students about deadlines, but ultimately a student is responsible for insuring that deadlines are met.