With nearly 4,000 accredited colleges and universities in the US, and an annual cost ranging from $20,000 to $80,000+, it’s no wonder most high school students get overwhelmed and struggle to build a list of best-fit colleges.
Whether you’re just starting your list, or you’re trying to narrow the field, you can use one or more of these three easy-to-determine criteria to help you create or finalize your college list.
1. By Majors
Typically, finding colleges that offer a strong program in one main major is the number one criteria students use to build their list. However, RingTrue recommends you find a school that offers at least 2-3 areas of interest so that you’re covered if you decide to switch majors. By looking for schools that offer more than one strong major you can consider, you’ll find that you’re able to narrow your list quickly. College search sites like Niche and BigFuture allow you to filter schools by major and save them to your profile. Not sure what you want to study? Try using this fantastic Career Finder tool from College Board and Roadtrip Nation to decide. Or, sign up for a RingTrue Profile Coaching Session and work with one of our coaches.
2. By Location
Location is a great factor to use when building your college list, as it will have one of the biggest impacts on your overall college experience. From cost to career opportunities, your college’s location will affect your daily and long-term success and happiness. Some criteria to take into consideration with college location include:
Career Opportunities: Do you want access to competitive internships at the world’s most successful organizations? Choose a school that offers networking in urban areas where Fortune 500 headquarters are plentiful. Or, would you rather be a big fish in a small pond? Small and medium-sized colleges and organizations in small to medium-sized communities may be more to your liking.
Travel Distance: Are you someone who wants to be able to get home every other weekend? Or are you looking forward to a nice, long semester break from family and friends? Can you afford to pay for flights back and forth? How far your college is from home will determine how often you are able to visit. Whether you want to be within a few hours driving distance or in a specific state that’s two flights away, you can search by radius and location with this tool from College Simply, then filter your results by your GPA, test scores, majors and more.
Weather: Some students can’t stand the thought of snow or brisk temperatures, while others can’t wait to experience all four seasons for the first time. If cold or dreary weather affects your daily living, be sure to do your research and build a list that includes colleges with sunny or moderate climates.
3. By School Culture
Fitting in with the other students and faculty at your college will be important to your success. Are you looking for a heavy emphasis on athletic events or Greek life? Or, would you rather be surrounded by students who focus on academics and civic involvement? Do religion or politics matter to you? If you have strong feelings about the type of culture at your college, they can help you rule out a large majority of schools that simply won’t be a good fit. Your Best Fit search on Niche can help you filter schools by distinct criteria, while you can use the World University Rankings from Times Higher Education to find schools that offer cultures with heavy emphasis in areas like sustainability, innovation and more.
Choosing a college is a big decision that often stops students in their tracks. If you get stuck, you can start simply from a single preference like one of the three above, then add more criteria as you learn more and tour. Or, get a jump start and extra help in The College List session we offer. Just remember: A good understanding of yourself, including your preferences and needs, will allow you to develop and fine-tune your college list more easily.
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