The Everything College Checklist Book

The Ultimate, All-in-one Handbook for Getting In - and Settling In - to College!

Cynthia C Muchnick

• Publisher: Everything
• Year: 2013
• ISBN:
  9781440545153
• Topic: Didattica
• Subtopic: Istruzione superiore

Maximize your college experience! The path to higher education is filled with college visits, paperwork, letters of recommendation, essays, and application fees--and that's just to get in! After that comes the financial aid paperwork, student loan notes, scholarship applications, and vouchers--and that's just to pay for it! Then come the roommate compatibility survey, the lists of what to pack, what supplies are need for classes, and the lists go on and on. The Everything College Checklist Book is here to help. These valuable checklists help you keep track of applications, references, transcripts, and financial aid. There are lists of questions to ask potential roommates, what to pack for dorm life, and ideas for the supplies needed for stress-free studying. It's the ultimate guide for making a smooth transition into college life.

CHAPTER 1
Choosing a College

When deciding where to apply to college, take into consideration many factors such as location, cost, size, reputation, academic programs, and campus traditions. Choosing where you might want to spend the next four years of your life is an exciting and daunting process. While you may feel like you are on the outside looking in, devising a college list can be exciting and fun if you turn the process into a personal research project. Do your homework diligently and dig deep to learn all that you can about the campuses that may interest you. Your matches are definitely out there somewhere just waiting to be found!

Information Sources

There are many different sources of information you can consult about which college is best for you. Because the following sources do not all provide the same kind of information, you should consult several of them. The more information you have, the more well rounded the picture of the school you’re researching will be. Following are a few resources to consult.

College Guides

There are almost as many college guides on the market as there are colleges. Many guides simply list basic facts about the schools, such as the number of students, the student-to-teacher ratio, requirements to graduate, majors offered, and average SAT scores of those admitted; while other guides are more subjective, trying to paint a portrait of life at the school and to elaborate on each school’s strengths and weaknesses. Both kinds of books can be quite valuable, particularly in the early stages of your college search, when you are identifying a range of schools that are right for you. As you narrow down your choices, you can get more detailed information from other sources.

Websites

All colleges and universities have their own websites. Visit these sites and get a variety of information about a school. Check out online course catalogs, campus clubs and organizations, school traditions, and the student online newspaper, seeking any particular areas of interest to you. Your goal is to try to get a feel for the vibe of a campus without having visited. So dig deep and read student testimonials and anything that will give you the flavor and feel of a campus. There are also several online college guides, many provided by the same publishers as the college guide books you see in the bookstore.

College Brochures and Catalogs

You can write or e-mail specific schools and request information. Keep in mind that their brochures are designed to present the school in the best possible light. Essentially school-produced booklets and publications are public relations pieces and advertisements. Still, the brochures will provide important basic information. Additionally, peruse the online course catalog.

Visit Facebook or college blog posts to hear directly from current students what is on their minds. Also read different campus student newspapers online to get a better sense of the culture and flavor of the student body.

Friends and Relatives

Ask people where they went to school (or are currently going) and how they feel about it. Ask specific questions about assets and drawbacks. Keep in mind, though, that people are different. What one person may have loved or hated about the school may not affect you the same way. Be especially wary of the “Legacy Trap”—just because a close relative went to a particular school and loved it does not mean it’s necessarily the best place for you. Consider your own interests and needs, and find a school that meets them.

Campus Visits

Visiting a school is an excellent way to get a tremendous amount of information about it. You’ll see the campus the way it really looks, not as it appears in the fancy brochure photos. Go on a campus tour and check out the admissions office, where there is often some kind of information session for students.

Make sure you talk to students; they will give you an accurate assessment of the school from the student’s point of view. If possible, arrange to stay overnight in a dormitory (most schools make this experience available to applicants). Of course, visiting schools is time-consuming and can be expensive; you should plan to visit only those schools you are seriously considering attending.

Before visiting a college, you should do a few things to prepare:

• Speak to your college counselor and high school teachers before you go in order to get your absences excused from your current school.
• Call or e-mail the college admissions office to find out times of campus tours, information sessions, and to schedule an interview (if applicable).
• Arrange for a room at a local hotel or perhaps an on-campus dorm room to stay in if the college allows this.
• Ask if you can visit any classes while on campus. Some schools allow visitors to sit in on certain classes when visiting. Others require you to be admitted before doing so.
• Prepare for your visit by reading over college literature, visiting the school website, checking out Facebook pages or blogs written by current students, etc., to get a more personalized flavor of the campus vibe.
• Make a list of questions to ask of current students, teachers, and admissions representatives about the concerns you have and to gather more information.

When you visit a campus, be sure to do the following:

• Take a guided tour.
• Visit the campus bookstore and get a souvenir.
• Eat in the cafeteria or a central campus dining hub. Eavesdrop on students and listen in to what they are talking about.
• Spend time in the library. Is it a good place to study? Check out the environment. You will likely be spending a lot of your time there.
• Read a campus newspaper to get current information on what is happening and to hear what is important to students.
• Check out a dorm room if allowed.
• Ask your tour guide “tough” questions such as why he/she chose the school or what he/she does not like about the school.
• Seek out faculty members on your own from specific departments that interest you.
• Visit the student activity center and look at the bulletin boards to see what is going on around campus.
• Ask to see the athletic facilities that interest you: fields, gymnasium, pool, courts, etc. Observe students using them and see what you think.

Finally, keep a notebook to log your campus visits. Note cool facts, traditions, campus tour highlights, e-mail addresses of current students you may have met, and names of interesting classes or professors you may have collected. You will refer back to these notes when it comes time to apply to college and may even use some of the content you gathered in your actual college application questions.

Questions to Ask

During the college visiting process, it’s a good idea to prepare some questions to ask tour guides, admissions representatives, professors, and anyone else you might meet during your visit. Here are some basic questions you can start with:

• What distinguishes this college from others in the area?
• What campus tradition or annual event do you most enjoy?
• With what colleges do you see the greatest number of overlapping applications?
• What are the college’s retention and graduation rates? Why do students choose to leave?
• What’s the best academic experience you’ve had?
• What have been your most memorable classes? Which professor(s) should I try to study with before graduation?
• What did you do last Saturday night or last weekend? Was it pretty typical of what goes on around campus?
• What do you like the least about your college? What would you like to change about it?
• Why did you c...

Table of contents

• Dear Reader
• Welcome to the EVERYTHING® Series!
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Contents
• The Top 10 Things to Do During Your First Year of College
• Introduction
• 1. Choosing a College
• 2. Financing Your Education
• 3. Preparations Before Heading to Campus
• 4. The Big Move
• 5. Roommates and Dorms
• 6. Personal Finance at College
• 7. Keeping Clean
• 8. Choosing Classes and a Major
• 9. Time Management
• 10. Effective Study Skills
• 11. Researching Papers
• 12. Writing a Paper
• 13. Internships and Summer Jobs
• Appendix A. Internet Resources for College Students
• Appendix B. Strategic Timelines for Choosing a Major
• Appendix C. Internet Resources for Finding a Major
• Acknowledgments
• Copyright