Colleges

The College Search (Anam Zehra)

A’ level Seniors!

Now that we have graduated to our final year of high school, working on college selections is one of the seemingly endless undertakings to go through. For those of you applying to America, this article will streamline the process for you.

The Basics

The basic steps you’ll need to take are familiarizing yourself with the basic types of college choices, understanding the college application process, and knowing your options once you’ve made your choice.

Choose the Best Fit!

Apparently, a whole lot of people got together one day and decided they would pick the prom king and queen of higher education. But don’t make the mistake of allowing your ultimate college choice to come down to an opinion in a magazine you’ve never read or the outlook of your parents, friends, and teachers on what makes a college great. One of the most difficult things you’ll have to do, in fact, is to gently remind all those well-wishing advisors that you’re not just looking for the best college.

You’re looking for the right college.

Start by making a list of colleges, think of what kind of college you’d like to attend and ask yourself, “What qualities am I looking for in a school?”

Following is a list of the many types of colleges out there, and how to decide which one of them is right for you.

The Ivies

The Ivy League refers to eight schools- Brown, Columbia, Dartmouth, Cornell, Harvard, Pennsylvania, Princeton, and Yale- that formed an agreement in 1945 to regulate their football competitions. These days, most people know the Ivies as representing the pinnacle of academic superiority.

These colleges have a diverse student body representing the upper, middle, and lower economic classes from different cultures, races, and nationalities. Less than 30 percent of applicants are admitted every year which results in a highly competitive environment. Add to their stellar reputation a list of alumni who have become leaders in the world of business, politics, and the arts, and teachers who come from the upper echelon of their fields.

The Public Ivies

These public universities are equally selective and among America’s top competitive schools. Their actual benefit lies for those with state residency as the tuition fees then are virtually minimal. For international students, the main advantage is the extremely large campuses and state of the art facilities. Even the largest Ivy League School- Cornell University, with around 14,000 enrolled students- is only one-third the size of the University of Florida. The public Ivies include:

University of California- Berkeley

University of Wisconsin

University of Michigan

University of Florida

University of North Carolina

University of Virginia

University of California- Los Angeles

State University of New York at Binghamton

College of William and Mary

The Flagships

The flagship universities represent the largest and most comprehensive schools in the country. They typically enroll more students than any other four-year colleges and are the focal points of the educational system within their states. This means that they receive the lion’s share of resources, publicity, and money. They often have outstanding athletic programs to complement their educational resources. Campus life brings even more hustle and bustle, with Greek life, intercollegiate athletics, and student activities dominating your out-of-class time.

Because they are so large, the flagship universities are often broken down into smaller units, usually known as colleges. For example, Rutgers University, the flagship of New Jersey, has several specialty colleges within its system, such as Rutgers College, a liberal arts school, and the Mason Gross School of the Arts. If you want to carve out your own niche with small class sizes but still want to feel part of a larger community, attending a small college within a flagship system may be the way to go.

The Liberal Arts Schools

The philosophy behind Liberal Arts Schools is that students and teachers should working closely together in an environment which nurtures critical learning and fosters intellectual curiosity is more important than selecting a major. In fact, some liberal arts colleges don’t even have majors. Or grades. Or course requirements. And if the thought of a lecture hall with 400 students learning rote material frightens you, then you will probably be a good candidate for admission.

There are roughly about 200 liberal arts schools with varying degrees on selectivity. Schools such as Williams College and Swarthmore College accept just a small percentage of applicants. There are other good liberal arts colleges that accept roughly half of applicants, including Trinity College in Connecticut, and Kenyon College in Ohio. Other outstanding liberal arts colleges have even higher acceptance rates. Presbyterian College in South Carolina, Lewis and Clark College in Oregon accept the majority of applicants.

Two-Year Colleges

Some students don’t want to dish out a small fortune for earning a degree. Alternatively, some have no interest in dorm rooms or joining a club. So if “straight forward and to the point” is your motto, then these colleges may be right for you.

To check out college profiles and save the colleges of your interest in an organized manner, visit collegeboard.com.

Good Luck!

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