Applying to College: Log On, Get In
Applying to college has become an increasingly demanding and arduous task. With students more qualified than ever, the chances of admission have slimmed across the board; rigorous advanced research and preparation are increasingly important. Since you're probably planning to apply online, why not also use Internet resources to familiarize yourself with the process before you start? Then, use the Web to figure out where to apply and how to make your application as strong as it can be. For a Spanish-language version of the Guide, click here.
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Expand All Guide SectionsSteps in the application process
The college application process is a multi-step affair with many deadlines and due dates that can ... read more »
Choosing the right college or university
If you're not sure what exactly you want out of college, these sites can help make the choice clearer. They'll help you make basic decisions like whether you want to go to a four-year or two-year, in-state or out-of-state, or public or private institution, for example. In this section, you'll find search tools, rankings, and reviews to help you narrow the options and determine what fits you best.
Dulcinea's Insight
- Every college has a Web site. To find the site of a college you're interested in, try typing its name with ".edu" at the end, or searching for it in any search engine.
- College and university rankings can be useful for exposing certain positive or negative attributes of schools, but rankings are dependent on endowment funds, alumni giving, and other nonacademic factors. Don't use rankings as the most important way to judge a school, or you might miss out on some great institutions.
- Some college admissions offices are now enlisting students to write honest (and sometimes uncensored) blogs about student life. MIT, Cornell, and Johns Hopkins are just a few examples of universities using this practice. Check to see if the schools you're interested in offer similar primary resources. If not, check out the links mentioned above to get an honest account of college life.
- There are many good schools that lie under the radar. Author Loren Pope has written many books directed at students looking for a good match rather than a brand name. Check out Looking Beyond the Ivy League: Finding the College That's Right for You and Colleges that Change Lives: 40 That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges, which includes sections for students with learning disabilities as well as for those who are home-schooled.
- If you can't make it in person to all of the colleges you are considering, check to see if the college has a virtual tour on its Web site. Many institutions now offer views of the campus, virtual classroom tours, and even live feeds of campus activity.
- Although affirmative action gets more media coverage, your gender may actually have a greater effect on your chances of being admitted.
- Some basic terms that you'll come across in this guide and in your research include:
- Safety School: a school that will likely accept you.
- Reach School: a school that will be difficult for you to get into.
- Early Action: a nonbinding application that puts you in the first round of applicants.
- Early Decision: a binding application that puts you in the first round of applicants. If you are accepted ED, you are required to attend the school that accepted you. Generally, you can apply to only one school Early Decision.
Dulcinea's Picks
For search tools ...
The U.S. Department of Education
has a "College Matching Wizard" that helps you figure out what factors in a school are most important to you. Answer questions (such as what type of school, location, size of student body, etc.) or read about the advantages and disadvantages of each choice (such as how you can benefit from a school in a large city or why a small town might be a better fit for you). Once you've indicated all of your preferences, the "College Matching Wizard" shows you the colleges that closely match what you want and provides links to application information for each one. If you'd simply like to indicate preferences without getting explanations try the "College Finder".
The Princeton Review
offers the "Counselor-O-Matic," a tool that allows users to input personal information like SAT scores, GPA, extracurricular activities, and more. Additionally, you can enter requirements for your college search including geographic location, school size, majors, etc. The "Counselor-O-Matic" then produces a list of safety, good match, and reach schools that match your skill level, needs, and aspirations.
CollegeNET
has a custom search feature that allows you to preference certain school features including: type of degree, majors offered, cost of tuition, size of student body, and even geographic location. Scroll down to use the "About Me" function, which allows you to select a college within a specified number of miles from your home zip code.
For college rankings and reviews ...
The Princeton Review
has a 366 Best Colleges Guide that ranks schools in a variety of categories including academics, quality of life, extracurricular activities, Greek life, etc. The Princeton Review purports that the rankings stem from surveys completed by current students, but factors such as alumni endowment may also affect a school's ranking. This site can provide unbiased information that is not available on official college-sponsored Web sites. To access all of the information you have to sign up for a free account. For even more detail, buy the book of the same name.
U.S. News & World Report
offers America's Best Colleges 2008, which ranks schools according to type (large universities, liberal arts colleges) and location (Northeast, Midwest). Some information is free, but to see expanded rankings, complete school profiles, and to use the interactive tools, you must pay $14.95 for the premium online edition. With complete access, you can view an extensive table of statistics and even compare schools side by side.
College Prowler
emphasizes unbiased student opinions. The site is divided into categories such as athletics, diversity, safety/security, facilities, weather, etc. and gives each school a grade from A through F. Users are able to view limited profiles and student testimonies free of charge. For total access (like a report card that grades 20 aspects of student life) you'll have to pay $39.95 a year, but much of the information is available in book form on Amazon.com for a considerably cheaper price.
The Fiske Guide to Colleges
has reviews for over 300 colleges, giving candid information on academics, quality of life, and the student body. Their site has short articles, a list of "Best Buys," and previews from Fiske's book.
For information on touring colleges ...
College View
provides useful articles like this list of questions to ask your college tour guide. Read "Making the Most of a College Tour" before you head out to visit campuses.
CampusTours.com
provides statistics and interactive maps to a large array of schools. Once you're on a school's homepage, click the "Request a Viewbook & Application" function to get this valuable information. You'll have to register (for free) if you want to take advantage of this service.
eCampusTours.com
has a database of more than 1,200 schools available for virtual touring. A free account is required for complete access to its 360-degree tours and interactive tools.
Who knew?
Suite101
provides an amusing list of reasons NOT to consider when choosing a college. Links to other college-based articles are provided at the bottom of the page.
College application and entrance essay tips
Getting your applications complete and turned in on time is a huge accomplishment. Making sure that ... read more »
Preparing for the SAT or ACT
Most colleges require that you take a standardized test and submit your scores with your ... read more »
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