Choosing the right school: Tips for good college fit

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

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

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

4. 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

5. 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

6. Campus visits • Focus on academic programs and ask questions: class sizes, graduation rate, employment rate, etc. • 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

7. 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

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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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