Starting your College Search.
Your junior year is coming to an end and you are headed into summer. In a few short months, applications for college admissions will open. But where do you even begin to know which colleges are right for you?
When I start working with clients, I always start with “What are you looking for?” There are thousands of colleges and universities in the United States. Not to mention the hundreds of international colleges and universities that are actively recruiting students from the US. It is overwhelming!
Start with what you want. Is location important? Setting? Size? Academic Program? Cost? School colors? Mascot? Starting with your “why” (learn more here) will make the research process so much easier.
For example, here is what I was looking for:
Go out of state, but stay on the west coast
Study German and Business
Active student life-- maybe leadership opportunities, study abroad, Athletics, Greek Life
Something I will not have to take out a loan to attend
After you have your list, it is time for the most important step: research, research, research! Here is how I recommend my clients start their college research:
Big Future. This is the fastest way to collect the data you need to be able to compare colleges.
The Fiske Guide. This old school method is still the most efficient way to learn about a college or university beyond the data.
College websites themselves. Do not start here. College websites are not organized uniformly and it takes time to dig. Use their websites strategically - check out Admissions to learn about requirements; look at an academic department for areas of focus and who will be teaching you, etc
Social Media: Yes, doom scrolling can come in handy!
If you are looking for some more resources, I recommend the book list on Grown and Flown. Happy researching!
Interested in working with me? Send me an email at hello@apariciocollegecounsulting.com and we can set up a complementary 15 minute conversation to see if I would be a good fit for your family.
