The Everything College Guide

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Ranked #15,153 in How-To, #159,802 overall

Welcome to my College Guide Lens

This is a place where both students and parents can come to read up to date imformation on everything related to college, from getting into the school of your choice and getting more financial aid and scholarship money than you could ever have dreamed of to having a blast at college but learning a ton while there!

We're a young group of both current college students and recent college graduates that have been deemed as "the best college experts in the US"! 

Enjoy!

 

Planning your College Search 

Starting to plan for College early is critical!

Here is the exact formula that I reccomend for the first
two years, check out college guide
book for more information:


Freshman Year:


The goal freshman year is to simply start evaluating what you
might like to go to school for and the type of school you might like. Once you
have some ideas in mind, take a look at some colleges on the internet or in
some of the various college books.


Sophomore Year:


During sophomore year, you should start making a list of potential
colleges to apply to. It’s great to get a huge list going, and then to
break it down from there. Also, normally during sophomore year, you will take
the PSAT to get a feel for the SAT. You should start studying for the SAT after
taking the PSAT. If you have time during sophomore year it’s advised that
you start calling different colleges and universities to reduce your master
list.



Top Things to Ask on a College Tour 

The questions you forget to ask that you SHOULD ask

There are many obvious questions you should ask on a campus tour, our goal is to provide those, along with many of the non-obvious questions that will allow you to get a great view of the school your looking at.

Please note: these questions are not in any particular order. When your on a tour it's also good to catch the tour guide "off guard" to ensure the most honest answers possible.

1. Describe this college in a few words
2. What is the student to faculty ratio
3. How many undergraduate students attend here
4. What is the freshman retention rate
5. What is the graduation rate within four years
6. What's the job placement rate within six months
7. What percent of professors hold the highest degree possible
8. How would you describe the dorms
9. What happens if I don't get along with my roommate
10. What are the varieties of policies in the dorms
a. Parties, alcohol, overnight guest
11. What type of things can you/cant you have in the dorm
12. How do I get in the best dorm
13. How do I pick roommates
14. What does your typical week consist of
15. How many student organizations does the school offer
16. Is religion prevalent on the campus
17. What is the average class size
18. What's the largest class YOU have ever had
19. What type of events has taken place on campus?
20. Tell me about the meal plan

30 more questions to ask on a College Tour 

21. When and how do you register for classes
22. What type of classes should I transfer in
23. Are any majors better than others
24. What are the most popular majors
25. Is the school accredited and by whom
26. Is the president involved with the students
27. How will the school help me get a job
28. How do most of the professors teach
29. How much time do YOU spend studying each week
30. What is the best way to do well in class
31. Is the campus safe
32. Have there been any security issues on campus
33. Where are some good places to visit around the college
34. What holidays do you NEED to go home for
35. What athletic teams does the college have
36. Is the student body diverse
37. What are the most common things that take place on the weekend
38. How are students graded
39. Are there any things I should know before coming to this college
40. Do you love it here
41. How is the dating life here
42. Is it tough to get in to the school
43. Who are the major competitors of this school
44. What schools did YOU also apply to
45. How is the financial aid
46. What other money should I plan on having
47. Tell me about the orientation program
48. Can I have a car on campus
49. Do the students interact with the administrators well
50. Why should I go here

 

Junior Year:

Junior year is critical. You should focus on studying for the SAT and or ACT. At the same time, you should be taking your list from sophomore year and breaking it down to a more manageable list (under 10 colleges) With this list in hand, you should visit as many colleges as you can and rank order the schools.

Senior Year:

Senior year can be easy if you've done your work in the previous three years. You will most likely want to retake your ACT or SAT once more at the beginning of the year. After that, you should apply to about 5 of your top schools, and more if you desire. Then the waiting game occurs. Once you start hearing back from the different colleges you can start forming your decision. If you're torn between a few schools and you're accepted to all of them, visit them a second time to make the final decision. Also, use your financial aid packages from all your colleges to negotiate with each other.

Getting the most money possible is only a phone call away!

Once you've chosen the school you would like to go to, send a simple letter to the schools you have chosen not to attend. The reason behind doing this is simple- you never know if you might want to attend there sometime in the future. Lastly, visit the college you're attending one more time to meet some students and professors. This is a friendly visit to simply get an even better feel of college. Once you've got this done, sit back and relax for the rest of senior year. Keep your grades up, but relax knowing you've been accepted to your college of choice.

Good luck!

by LifeLongCollegeStudent

Hello everyone.  My name is Michael,  I'm a recent college graduate, but a life long college student at heart.  I run a company called...

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