Do’s and Don’ts of Building a College List
Building a college list can sometimes feel overwhelming for teenagers (and their parents)! But, it doesn’t have to be that way! Here are a few of my top “Do’s” and “Don’ts” to help you get started!
Want to learn more about how to build a college list? Join me for a free 1-Hour College List Building 101 webinar this weekend!
Let’s start with what not to do…
Don’t…
…use national rankings as your primary resource
One of the most popular college ranking systems constantly changes its methodology and recently eliminated key measures of academic quality, such as the percentage of faculty who have attained the highest degrees in their fields and average class size. Each ranking system determines what they deem as important and then ranks schools based on those factors. But, factors that make a great college experience for one student could make for a terrible experience for another. Instead of using someone else’s ranking system, determine what criteria are important to you and develop your own system to rank the best schools for what you want!
…place schools on your list without knowing why you want to go there
It is so easy to get excited about a college after hearing a friend or family member rave about their experience (or what they hope will be their experience in the future). However, make sure that each school on your list is there for a reason. If you can’t name a few reasons why you want to go there, that may be a reason to question why it’s on your list. Try doing additional research like watching the school’s YouTube channel or reading the review in the Fiske Guide to see if you can find a few things that stand out to you and make you excited about possibly attending!
…apply to “safety” schools that you would never attend
Sometimes the hardest part of building a college list is finding schools where you have a high chance of acceptance based on your academic profile, also known as “safety schools”. It’s easy to fall into the trap of just adding an in-state university that meets the “safety” part of the requirements, without the school being a match for other important criteria. Spend the extra time to research schools for this portion of your list so that you will be happy attending if that is your only option (because sometimes it is).
…rule out all private schools because of the sticker price
Sticker Price does not equal Cost of Attendance! Private schools are some of the most challenging to determine how much the actual cost of attendance is unless you do research beyond the basic college search engines. Many private schools have a higher-than-average sticker price but at the same time may offer significant discounts in the form of scholarships and other merit aid.
Do
…research a variety of colleges before building your list
Researching a variety of schools helps you to learn more about the unique opportunities available among different colleges. The more you increase your “college knowledge”, the easier it will be to visualize what you want out of your college experience, and in turn, build your college list.
…visit at least one small college before eliminating them from your search
It is common for teenagers to automatically eliminate smaller colleges from their list without understanding the benefits they can offer. As you are starting to visit and research colleges, try to include at least one small college in the process to get a better feel for the pros and cons.
…build your list based on what you want out of your college experience (and not just the name)
The best college for you could be a college you’ve never heard of before! Begin your search by casting a wide net based on a few key characteristics you hope to find at your ideal college. Research a variety of colleges and don’t ignore the schools that may not have name recognition.
…look for academic, financial, personal, and social fit
Each of these four factors is an important part of the college fit equation. While your academic profile may determine whether or not you can be admitted to a college, finding the right personal and social fit will determine whether or not you will be happy. Think about the activities you want to participate in while in college, whether you thrive in a more competitive or collaborative environment, and how you want to spend your time outside of the classroom.
The moral of the story? There are hundreds of amazing colleges and universities. What makes a school perfect for one student might make a poor match for another. Research colleges to learn what is out there and then build your list based on what you want out of your own unique college experience!
Want to learn more about how to build a college list? Join me for a free 1-Hour College List Building 101 webinar this weekend!