Choosing a College

Students need to consider many factors in selecting a college or trade/technical school. Completing the checklist below will give you the opportunity to clarify what is really important to you in deciding on where to continue your education.

1. Type of institution
   • Community college
   • Four-year college
   • Military Academy
   • Technical institute
   • Specialized school
   • Seminary
   
   
2. Control of Institution
   • Public
   • Private
   • No preference
   
   
3. Location
   • California
   • Pacific Coast
   • Mountain
   • Midwest
   • New England
   • Middle Atlantic
   • South
   • Outside United States
   • No preference
   
   
4. Size of Enrollment
   • Under 500 (Small)
   • 1,000-2,000 (Medium)
   • 2,000-5,000 (Medium)
   • 5,000-10,000 (Large)
   • Over 10,000 (Large)
   • No preference
   
   
5. Environment
   • Urban
   • Suburban
   • Rural
   • No preference
   
   
6. Student body
   • Coeducational
   • Men only
   • Women only
   • No preference
   
   
7. Religious preference
   • Church related, if so, which?
   • Non-church related
   • No preference
   
   
8. Cost per year
   • Under $3,000
   • $3,000-$5,000
   • $5,000-$10,000
   • Over $10,000
   
   
9. Financial plans
   • No aid required
   • Partial aid required
   • Complete or nearly complete aid required
   
   
10. Type of aid desired (if any)
    • Employment
    • Scholarship or grant
    • Loan
    • Combination of the above
    
    
11. Housing
    • Campus residence
    • Fraternity or sorority
    • At home
    • Off campus
    
    
12. Degree of admissions selectivity
    • Non-selective or minimally selective
    • Moderately selective
    • Highly selective
    
    
13. Basis of school choice
    • Primarily mine
    • Mine and parents
    • Counselor
    • Friends
    
    
14. Degree of interest in attending
    • Low
    • Moderate
    • High
    
    
15. Probable major
    • Liberal Arts
    • Interdisciplinary or general studies
    • Specialized
    • Business
    • Nursing
    • Engineering
    • Other
    
    
16. Other criteria (sports, ROTC, social, work study, etc)
    
    
17. Student characteristics
    • Academic
    • Sports oriented
    • Activity oriented
    • No preference

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