College Search

Question: Can you explain the difference between a private college and a public college? I’m confused about which one I should attend.

Public colleges are those that are largely supported by state funds. If you attend a public institution in your own state, you will get a break on tuitions costs, and–as a state resident–it’s usually easier for you be admitted, as well. However, if you attend a public college in ANOTHER state, you will probably not get those benefits (though some state institutions do have reciprocal agreements with other nearby states.)

Private colleges, on the other hand, are supported by tuition, endowment, and donations from alumni and friends. Usually they are more expensive than public colleges, but it does depend on the particular school. Also, private colleges often offer the best financial aid (see below). While attending a private school is reputed to translate into less red tape and more personal attention than you’ll find at the public counterparts, it’s important to look carefully at each individual college and to separate rumor from reality.

Many states have what are known as “flagship” universities. A flagship university is the main public college in the state, and it may be huge (e.g. Ohio State University, Penn State University, University of Texas). But often these states have many smaller public schools as well. Typically, flagship universities draw students from throughout the state as well as from other states and abroad. The smaller public colleges and universities tend to draw applicants from their immediate region are likely to have fewer out-of-state and international students. Often–although not always–the flagship universities are harder to get into than the other public schools in the state. Some states (e.g., New York, CA) do not have one main flagship college.

When making your target-college list, you probably don’t want to restrict it to EITHER private OR public schools. You should seek out all colleges that offer what you’re looking for: academic departments, location, size, extracurricular activities, religious affiliation (or lack thereof), as well as simply the right “feel.” The best way to determine if a school has this right “feel” is to visit campus when classes are in session and to try to talk (either in person or via e-mail) with current students and recent grads.

While cost may be an important consideration for you, don’t let that entirely govern your college choices … at least initially. Commonly, the more a college costs, the more money there is to give away. So, while lower tuition may make public colleges and universities attractive to you, don’t give up on the pricier private schools that may provide good financial aid. Ultimately, your final decision may have to be based on costs, but at this stage of the college exploration process, you don’t need to consider only the dough.

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Question: I don’t understand the concept of majors. When choosing colleges, should we select those that have all the majors we’re interested in, or just one?

This “major” issue can be confusing indeed … and sometimes even a “major” pain. When you apply to some colleges, you need to have a major in mind and then you must apply not only to the college itself but also to your specific major or program. Sometimes, you may not need to choose a major, but you do need to apply directly to a specific “school” within a university (e.g., “School of Education,” “School of Allied Health Sciences,” etc.).

Whenever you apply to a college that asks you to list your choice of major on your application, be sure to find out if that choice is “binding.” That is, ask admission officials if you can switch your major as soon as you enroll, if you so choose. At some places, it is hard to make a change once you’ve committed.

Not surprisingly, many high school seniors do not know what their college major will be and–even those who do–often want the flexibility to change their minds. Luckily, most colleges don’t require you to commit to a major at the time of your application (though many WILL ask what your possible major or primary areas of academic interest might be).

If you do have a major in mind–or more than one–then it certainly makes sense to apply to colleges or universities that offer these options. Some majors–like biology, psychology, English, history, etc.–are so very common that nearly every institution (except the more specialized ones) will offer them. However, there are also unusual fields (e.g., “Soil Science,” “Recreation Therapy,” “Jewelry Design”) that won’t be widely available. So, of course, if you think you may be interested in an atypical field, then you would be wise to consider only those colleges that offer it.

Keep in mind, however, that–in most cases–a college major is made up of only about 10 to 12 courses, and most college students take about 32 courses during their four undergraduate years. (Requirements vary from major to major and from college to college, but those are ballpark figures.) So, even once you’ve determined your major for sure (which may not happen until the start of your junior year), you will usually have lots of opportunity to take classes outside of your major field.

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Question: I’m trying to find colleges and universities that are offering combined BA/MD programs, but I can’t seem to find any. Can you point me in the right direction?

The Web site below is a good place to start:
http://services.aamc.org/currdir/section3/degree2.cfm?data=yes&program=bsmd

It includes many of the current accelerated medical programs, although not all of them. In fact, no resource I’ve encountered is 100 percent complete, so your best bet would be to use more than one. In addition to this site you might also want to order one of these books:

The High School Doctor: The Underground Roadmap to 6, 7,

and 8 Year Accelerated/Combined Medical Programs (BA/MD) in

the United States by Nagendra Sai, Md Koneru, et al;

or

From High School to Med. School : The definitive guide to

accelerated medical programs by Ashish Raju, Jason Yanofski;

I have the first of the two and I find it helpful to the extent that it lists many programs and describes their admission standards. The information about the colleges themselves and the program in particular is a bit sparse, but at least you’ll get a good starting point for further investigation.

Speaking of admission standards, you need to understand that admission to accelerated and/or combined medical programs is extremely competitive. (I say “accelerated and/or combined” because some institutions offer admission to both undergrad and medical school via one application but their 8-year program is not really accelerated; other colleges compress the undergrad/med studies into 7 or even 6 years and are thus truly accelerated.) Note that even colleges that ordinarily have only so-so admission standards for their other academic areas will raise the bar to the moon when it comes to the combined med offerings, and typically only Ivy League-caliber applicants will be accepted.

Also, visit our Combined BA/MD discussion forum.

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Question: I’m a high school sophomore, and I’ve already taken the PSATs, but I didn’t check the box to receive information from colleges. Is there any way now that I can still get on the lists?

“The Dean” contacted the College Board and asked if it’s too late for you to join the Student Search (that’s the outfit that forwards your name to various colleges based on the information you provide when you register for the PSATs).

The folks at the College Board wrote back very promptly and said this:

Please have the student contact Student Search Service directly at
800-626-9795. They are located at the College Board Office in Reston, Virginia.

You should definitely follow up on that. In doing so, however, keep in mind that some colleges do not send their “propaganda” to sophomores. Since you will take the PSAT again in October, as a junior, you should be sure to check the “Student Search” box on the registration, and your mailbox will soon be full.

In the meantime, you should also register at www.fastweb.com . This site is a very good one that offers ongoing information about scholarships for which you might be eligible, based on information you provide on a brief online questionnaire. It’s free and completely legitimate, and it also gives you the option of getting on some college mailing lists, too.

Finally, most colleges now have “Send me info” forms (or something like that) on their Web sites. So, if you have started to think about specific colleges and you visit their sites, you can often sign up to receive their electronic and snail-mail brochures and updates.

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Question: I currently have 1130 on my SAT I and an ACT score of 24. Should I just forget about college or are those scores good enough to go somewhere? If so, then what are those places?

We don’t know where you live, who your friends are, or what you read (hopefully not the College Confidential discussion board … at least in this case!) that left you with the impression that you are not college material. Your scores are fine–well within the norms of many colleges and universities … including quite reputable ones. There are so many, in fact, that it would be impossible to give you a complete list.

How do you find these places? For starters, you can go to the College Board site (www.collegeboard.com) and click on “Advanced Search.” (It should be under “Students” on the left-hand side of your screen.) Next, fill out the questionnaire by selecting your preferences regarding type of college, size, location, majors, activities, etc. When you get to the section called “Admissions,” find the spot where you are asked for test scores, and you can type yours in. That way, when you click on “results” at the end, you’ll get a list of institutions that will welcome students with scores in your range.

You can also get your hands on general college guidebooks and thumb through the pages looking for each institution’s average test scores. We think you’ll find it reassuring to see how many schools admit students with SATs and ACTs well below yours.

You might also want to consider colleges that have no testing requirement. You will find an up-to-date list of more than 700 bachelors-degree granting, accredited institutions which do not consider test scores in admitting substantial portions of their entering classes at: http://www.fairtest.org/optinit.htm . We bet you recognize a number of names on this list, and that number continues to grow.

Keep in mind, however, that your scores are not low, and they will certainly not keep you out of many good colleges. If your grades are strong, that list of choices will be even broader.

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Question: Can I get a list of schools that have Rolling Admissions?

Since you’re a senior seeking rolling-admission colleges in mid-April, The Dean is going to read between the lines here and guess that you are looking for last-minute college choices. Perhaps you didn’t get accepted anywhere–or at least anywhere you want to go–and now you’re eager to explore other options.

If this is the case, here are two suggestions:

1. Go to the College Board Advanced Search site at http://apps.collegeboard.com/search/advhome.jsp. Fill out the questionnaire and when you get to the “Deadlines” category, be sure to click on “Regular application deadline or priority date hasn’t passed.” (Hint: the fewer preferences you select regarding size, location, majors, etc., the more options you’ll get when you hit “Results” at the end.)

2. The National Association for College Admission Counseling puts out a very helpful “Space Available Survey” that lists colleges with late openings. The bad news, however, is that it’s not posted until early May. When the time comes, you can find it at: http://www.nacac.com/survey/results.cfm

Happy hunting!

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Question: I am a junior and have a very strong GPA and SAT scores. My guidance counselor told me I could definitely get into an Ivy League school–which i would love to do–but that I could get a full scholarship at a lower-ranked school. My parents make a decent living, so we probably wouldn’t get a whole lot of aid, but we can’t afford an Ivy League tuition on our own. Is the debt and outside scholarship work worth it, or should I go to a less prestigious school? Would the Ivy League education make a difference in the end, or would the debt outweigh the benefits?

This is a good question but it’s also one where, if you ask it 100 different times, you’ll probably get 100 replies, and they’ll all sound like cop-outs. That is, there are no easy answers, and the best is probably “It depends.”

What does it depend on? For starters, it depends on your background. For instance, if you come from a small town, a blue-collar family, or from any environment that might be labeled “parochial” or “provincial,” then the horizon-broadening contacts and experiences you’ll find at an Ivy League institution may be well worth the debt you accrue to go there. But that’s only if you’re a person who feels comfortable making the kind of transition that this might entail. I know of some students with Ivy potential who preferred to attend less prestigious (and less costly) colleges for their undergrad years then–after making their mark there academically–were able to land coveted spots in Ivy League graduate programs. So, you have to ask yourself, “Will I be most comfortable and successful among hyper-achieving peers at an elite college or would I rather stand out in a less competitive crowd?”

Another consideration: While Ivy League colleges offer only need-based aid for which you may not qualify, there are a number of very fine institutions that offer merit aid. While they may not be Ivies or among those most commonly considered Ivy equivalents (e.g., Amherst, Williams, Stanford, MIT, Swarthmore), there are plenty of excellent and renowned places that might offer you an attractive scholarship and may even be better matches for you than an Ivy. In other words, you don’t have to abandon prestige entirely to get non-need-based aid.

Moreover, I read a study a little while back that followed the careers and earnings of students who attended Ivy League institutions about 25 years ago along with the careers and earnings of others who were accepted by Ivy schools but enrolled elsewhere. The study contended that the Ivy alums were no more “successful” (at least from a financial standpoint) than those who could have enrolled but didn’t.

While it often seems that for every study that has one outcome, there’s another with opposing results, I think it’s safe to say that you can have a happy and fruitful life regardless of where you go to college. You should keep an open mind and check out a range of places: Ivies and otherwise. Put special emphasis on good schools with merit-aid offerings. Athletic scholarships aside, merit aid most often goes to students whose “numbers” (grades, rank, test scores) are significantly higher than those of the typical entering freshman. So keep that in mind as you determine where you might be a merit-aid contender.

Finally, you began by saying that your guidance counselor told you that you can “definitely” get into an Ivy League school. That’s a pretty powerful statement. I’ve been in this business for nearly 20 years, and rarely can I be that certain about an Ivy aspirant. The process is simply too competitive and often capricious. (Of course, you did spell “definitely” correctly–a rarity among today’s high school students. That alone should make you an Ivy shoo-in. ) If you are indeed such a strong candidate, then all the more reason to look at both Ivies and merit-aid institutions. Visit as many campuses as you can. Spend the night when possible, and then you may be able to answer your own question when it’s time to make a final decision.

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Question: What are the advantages or disadvantages of a large college vs. a small one?

I address this question in my book Panicked Parents’ Guide to College Admissions (Petersons 2002). Below, you’ll find an excerpt. Personally, I like the idea of a small but not tiny school–under 3,000 or so but not below about 1,200–for the undergrad years. You’ll have a better chance of making your mark on campus when you’re not one of a huge multitude. However, some students really thrive in a huge university community. As my co-author Sid Dalby likes to say, “It’s easier to make a big college small than a small college big.”

A large university can be exciting—or impersonal. A small school can be supportive—or stifling. Among the most common reasons for transferring, size is near the top of the list, with “too big” and “too small” getting pretty even play. Small colleges commonly translate into smaller classes and more faculty contact. They can, however, be too homogeneous or lacking in specific curricular offerings. Large schools may offer opportunities such as editing a daily newspaper or studying Swahili that a smaller school can’t equal. Extroverts and self-starters may thrive on a big campus. Students who are shy or who lack the self-discipline to work when there are endless temptations to do otherwise will probably be better served by a small college where they won’t be as likely to fall through the cracks.

One “mistake” that I’ve seen high school students make is to opt for large urban institutions with the belief that this will translate into a great social life. While cities do provide tons of diversions, these students often head off in myriad different directions in the evenings or on weekends–on their own or in small groups–claiming that there is no campus social life at all. Some can find the experience pretty lonely … or, at least, expensive.

While it may sound counterintuitive, smaller, more isolated colleges may provide the best social environment because–with no place nearby to go–students hang together and develop their own on-campus social networks … and (usually free) fun.

The bottom line: personal preference will play a key role in determining what the “advantages” and “disadvantages” of each type of school will be for you.

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Question: Do you have a list of all the colleges that do not require SAT scores?

FairTest, a Massachusetts-based organization that is critical of the use of standardized testing in college admission decisions, maintains a list of SAT-optional institutions. You can find it at: http://www.fairtest.org/optstat.htm . Be sure to pay attention to the footnotes that follow the names of some places listed. These schools may ask for SAT II’s instead of SAT I’s (e.g., Union College in NY) or waive the SAT I requirements only for students with certain ranks or GPA’s (e.g., Franklin and Marshall in PA).

As you peruse the list, you’ll note that a growing number of colleges with good national reputations are on it (e.g., Bates and Bowdoin in Maine, Mount Holyoke and Wheaton in MA, Dickinson in PA).

Some colleges, too, that still require the SAT I have devalued its importance in the decision process. It can be hard, however, to get a real handle on how honest admission folks are being if you ask about the role of test scores. Most will be quick to assure you that course selection and grades count for far more. In fact, this is true–but, at many colleges and universities–so many applicants boast similar transcripts that standardized test results become an important tie-breaker. In such cases, a student whose SAT scores are below the middle range will probably need some sort of special “hook” to be admitted.

Thus, instead of asking admission staff members about the importance of the SAT at their school, ask instead if test scores have recently lost some status in the decision process. If the answer is “Yes,” then a candidate with great grades and rank will probably still be well in the running, even if SAT scores don’t quite measure up.

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Question: I am a good student and interested in attending an all-women’s college but am not sure how to make a choice.

You are wise to consider a women’s college because—while not the right choice for everyone—they offer an opportunity to learn about yourself in ways that are different than what you would encounter in a coeducational school, even if you feel quite at home in a coed environment.

Probably the most well known of the United States women’s colleges are Smith, Mount Holyoke, Wellesley, Bryn Mawr, and Barnard. They are the five remaining members of what used to be known as the prestigious “Seven Sisters.” (About 30 years ago, Radcliffe merged with Harvard, and Vassar opened its doors to men, so these two former sister schools are no longer single-sex).

All of the five sisters are highly selective, but not quite as much so as the Ivy League colleges are. Mount Holyoke no longer even requires the SAT; for the other four, SAT I scores average between about 1250 and 1350. Admitted students are almost always in the top fifth of their class, and usually in the top tenth, with their high school courses typically the most challenging ones offered.

If you are deciding among these sister schools, you may be influenced by location. Smith and Mount Holyoke are in (Smith) or near (Mount Holyoke) small but lively cities and are part of a five-college consortium that is home to about 40,000 students and allows cross-registration among member schools. Barnard is right in New York City, and Barnard students often take classes at neighboring Ivy League Columbia. Wellesley is close to Boston, located in a suburb about 20 minutes away. Wellesley students can enroll in classes at MIT as well as at a couple other nearby coed colleges. Similarly, Bryn Mawr is outside of Philadelphia but not far, and Bryn Mawr students enjoy close collaboration with coed Haverford, almost next door.

Beyond the northeast, there are a number of other well-reputed women’s institutions, such as Agnes Scott and Spelman colleges, both in Georgia. (The latter is primarily for African-American women, but applicants from all ethnic backgrounds are welcomed.)

In California, your choices will include Mills College in Oakland (near San Francisco). When Mills trustees announced coeducation there a decade or more ago, Mills students so vehemently supported their single-sex campus that the trustees rescinded their plans! Also in CA is Scripps College, which is part of the well-known Claremont Colleges, about an hour from Los Angeles. Scripps students can take classes at the other four Claremont schools that are only a stone’s throw away.

Although the number of women’s colleges has dwindled over the past three decades, there are still far too many to discuss each one here, but—whatever your abilities or interests—there is sure to be one that will admit you and engage you.

For more information about women’s colleges, go to: http://www.womenscolleges.org/, the Web site for the Women’s College Coalition. It will provide links to member colleges as well as a lot of general information about women’s colleges and their many benefits.

You might also want to look for this book: Women’s Colleges, by Joe Anne Adler and Jennifer Adler Friedman. While it has not been recently revised, and some statistics may be out of date, you can still find it at www.amazon.com, and it will give you a good overview of the leading women’s schools and their distinctions.

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