HESC can help you explore colleges in New York and across the country at our online college fair, NY Mentor. Here are some suggestions that can help you make the college choice that's right for you.
Curriculum
Look for the schools that offer the right courses and have the right facilities for the kinds of studies you want to undertake. If you’re not sure yet, look for a school with a broad-based liberal arts program. If you want science, make sure they have up-to-date labs, computers and other facilities.
Location
Decide where you want to go to college. If you need to live at home or just want to be close to home, or if you want to live in a big city with all its other attractions, limit your scope to that area.
Size
If you think you might be overwhelmed at a large university, look for a school with a smaller number of students. But remember, even at a larger school, after your first couple of years, classroom size gets smaller and you get to know the students in your major area of study.
Sports & Activities
A rich social life is an important part of college. Find out if the school you’re interested in has clubs or other organizations you can participate in. If you like big-time athletics, make sure your college has the teams in the sports you want to watch or intramural programs you can play for your own enjoyment.
Religious Affiliation
If a religious orientation is important to you, find out what types of campus-based religious activities and places of worship are available.
Cost
Find out what the tuition, fees, room and board charges will be at schools you’re interested in. College cost information is available for each college at NY Mentor. You can also find out what the average student pays after financial aid is factored in. The results can be surprising.
Financial Aid
Financial aid is available at every school you might want to attend. But some schools make aid more available than others. Private, independent colleges may charge more for tuition and other expenses, but they also tend to offer more financial aid. Get in touch with the Financial Aid Office at your choices and inquire how they can help you. You can link to any college at NY Mentor.
Academic Standards
Find out the average class standing and scores for students accepted at the colleges of your choice. You can find admissions criteria for all colleges at NY Mentor.
Visit the Campus
Make visits to a number of schools. You can get a good feel for the campus and the people by visiting the place in person. Many schools offer open houses and campus visits on weekends. You can also take “virtual tours” at college Web sites. Link to any college at NY Mentor.
Talk to Students & Alumni
Nobody knows as much about a school as students who are currently enrolled and alumni who have graduated. The students can tell you about campus life and academics. The alumni will tell you whether a degree from this institution fulfilled their educational expectations and how it helped them in their careers.
More Information
For more information about choosing a college, visit HESC’s NY Mentor. If you want to consider a school outside of New York, you can also use NY Mentor, or our sister site, Mapping Your Future.
