College Rank

Whether you are going to attend college this fall, next year, or in a couple of years, it is very important to search for schools so you can find where you will be the happiest.

As you begin to decide what careers you want to pursue in the future, you may also start to think about what colleges you would like to attend.  Whether you want to stay close to home, go across the country, or down south, it’s important that you start to think about what types of schools you would like.  Although this may feel like a stressful time for many Northport High School students, picking a college to attend does not have to be if certain steps are followed. 

One major piece of advice that can be helpful to students is to start planning early.  Even if you are not a junior or senior in high school, it can be extremely helpful to start your college search early.  You can begin by researching college websites online to see what may be a good fit for you.  

Look for both schools of different sizes and in different locations at first as you might not be sure what you want initially.  Whether you want a city school, a rural school, or somewhere in between, it is still important to do research on all types. 

In the beginning of your research, it can be difficult to know what kind of school you are looking for before you look into what different schools have to offer.  If you have specific majors or programs in mind, make sure that the schools you are looking at have them.  You will want to be able to attend a school that has all of the programs you may want to pursue in the future.

After beginning to search online for colleges, start to make a list of the ones that you are most interested in.  After all of your research, you may have a better idea of what types of schools you are most interested in.  At this point, start taking the average cost of tuition and room and board into account to make sure that these schools are affordable options for you and your family.  

If possible, the next best step would be to schedule tours of these schools and visit them as you will not truly know if you like them or not without seeing them.  Sometimes a school may seem perfect for you on the outside, but once you look at it, it is not truly the place for you.  

College visits can typically be scheduled by going to the individual college’s website and going to the admissions section.  Once there, they will have a link where students can select the time and date of a tour.  It is a good idea to plan in advance as tours of many schools will become booked very quickly.  

If it is not possible to book a tour for the time you would like, it is still important to see the school.  Most schools will offer a virtual tour on their websites that students can access.  This is a good alternative option to take advantage of if you cannot view the school in person.

While on a tour of a college campus, there are many things that you should be looking for and thinking about.  After all, this is a place you will be attending for at least the next four years, so you want to make sure it is a perfect fit.  It is a good idea to ask your tour guide any questions that you have while viewing the school.  Tour guides typically are attending or have attended the school you are visiting so they are the best resource for acquiring information. 

If certain amenities are very important to you, these are things that you want to make sure you are looking for while on the tour.  For many people, these important features include the dining halls and food options, dorms, the libraries, the gym, and transportation options.  Be sure to see all of these features while visiting and make sure that they will meet your needs for your life on campus.    

While the campus and what it has to offer is extremely important, the surrounding area or town the college is located in is also important.  Does the college you are visiting have a town where you can go out with friends?  Is this area safe for you to explore?  Are there plenty of things to do outside of campus?  Is there campus transportation to take me to these places?  These are very important questions that should be considered by all prospective students as they are on campus for the first time.  

After visiting many schools you are interested in, it is a good idea to redraft your college list based upon what you have seen.  If you know that you have a few schools that were your favorites, put them towards the top of your list.  If there were schools that you did not fall in love with, but still could be possible options for you, put them towards the middle of your list.  Lastly, if there are schools that you do not like, remove them from your list or put them at the bottom if you would like to keep them as safety schools.

Whether you are going to attend college this fall, next year, or in a couple of years, it is very important to search for schools so you can find where you will be the happiest.  From large and small schools, to rural and city schools, it is a good idea to explore to see what you truly would fit in best at.  By breaking down your college search into different steps, it makes your college search more manageable so you can have confidence knowing you will be able to find just the right school for you.