Ten Rules To Guarantee A Good College Choice

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You can almost guarantee yourself a great college choice if you follow the ten simple rules below.

1. Never make a final college choice without visiting at least the three or four colleges you like best. Regardless of how well you've investigated the colleges to which you applied, there is no substitute for a visit. Very often, students pick up critical information...sometimes good, sometimes bad...on a visit. And, bring your family with you if possible...nobody knows you better, so their observations and thoughts might be very helpful to you.

2. If you follow only one of the ten rules, make it rule #1.

3. A college with a familiar name might be a great choice for you. Then again, it may not. Don't be too influenced by name recognition alone.

4. Take the extra step of identifying and investigating at least three colleges you know almost nothing about but offer the major in which you are interested, are in locations you like, and have admissions criteria which make you a good candidate. You might be very pleasantly surprised at what you find.

5. There is only one thing dumber than selecting a college because your friends are headed there. It's choosing a college or university because your girlfriend or boyfriend is headed there.

6. Do your research and be sure to separate reality from (often baseless) opinions. Lots of folks will refer to a college as "good", "hard to get into", "a party school", "too expensive", etc. without knowing the facts. Don't accept these kinds of generalizations without evidence.

7. Do not rule out colleges early because of cost. Many colleges offer scholarships, financial aid, and tuition installment plans that make them far more affordable than they may first appear. You can't/won't know how much it will cost to attend a college until the very end of the process.

8. Write down and adhere to all deadlines. Write down and adhere to all deadlines. Does saying it twice illustrate how important it is? I hope so.

9. Apply to three categories of colleges; "reach" colleges, "probable" colleges, and "safe" colleges. Reach or "stretch" colleges are colleges you like but may well be denied admission to. You might just be pleasantly surprised is you take a chance on a few reach schools. Probables are colleges which admit most students with your profile. My recommendation is that you apply to at least three probables to ensure yourself good options when it's time to make your final decision. Lastly, find and apply to two safe colleges where your chances of admission are close to 100% and where you believe you would be happy. Remember, if you do a good job picking safe schools you'll be immune to disappointment, so take time to do a good job.

10. When it is time to make your final choice, discuss your options with your family, your counselor (if you have one), and others who know you well and whose judgement you value. If you have a tough time choosing among two or more colleges or universities it is probably because you have done a good job putting together your list and you will be happy at whichever institution you choose. Just make your choice and don't agonize over itsome of the best years of your life are ready to begin.

About the Author:
Daniel Kane has worked in high schools, colleges, and universities for more than thirty years. He has websites on subjects including online degree programs and education online .
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Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com

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