Finding Colleges that Don’t Demand High School Language Study
Question: What is the most efficient way to search for colleges that do
not require foreign language study in high school?
College Search
How do I compare larger universities and smaller colleges?
Question: What differences should I take into consideration when looking at larger universities and smaller colleges?
One of the fundamental decisions that high schoolers have to make during their college selection process is that of big school or small school. By big school we generally mean a large state university such as Penn State University at University Park, Ohio State University, or Michigan State University. These are truly big schools with student bodies in the 25-to-35+ thousand range. Their campuses are very large and they offer an overwhelming number of degree programs and courses.
A small college, on the other hand, typically has a student body of anywhere from 1000-to-3000 students. Their campuses are much smaller than the big universities and can be quite visually attractive because of the unified style of architecture and landscaping. Of course there are mid-sized colleges and universities also. But let’s stay with the issue of big versus small.
If you are someone who values a personal approach to the classroom experience, small colleges will tend to satisfy your need better than large universities. Class size is an important issue. Some introductory courses at big schools can have 500-to-600 students or more. These massive gatherings are very impersonal and lack the opportunity to interact with faculty. A small college’s introductory course might have as few as 25 or 50 students. This allows for getting to know not only your professor but also your classmates. Some small-college faculty even hold discussion sessions in their homes once in a while and offer an occasional semester-ending dinner party.
Usually the big universities offer a relatively limitless array of resources and entertainment options. The libraries are often open into the wee hours of the morning and there’s usually never a lack of someone in the lounge areas with whom to play air hockey or pool. Small colleges tend to have fewer physical resources, smaller libraries, and a social scene that turns in early. Of course you’ll always be able to find a small school that rocks day and night, but schools tend to be like cities
Is a college campus visit necessary?
Question: Is a college campus visit absolutely necessary?
Let me ask you some questions. Would you buy a car without taking it for a test drive? Would you buy a stereo system without listening to your favorite music on it? The answer to your question is: It’s very important.
The reason you want to visit every school on your final list of candidates is a matter of personal chemistry between you and the college or university you’re thinking about. It
What is the “Cluster Effect”?
Question: What is the “Cluster Effect”? How about “stretch” and “safety” schools?
Most well-informed high school seniors know that there must be a strategy in place before they start their college application process. Though you may have a perfectly good set of reasons to apply to the colleges on your short list, there could be a major flaw in your plan. One of these common flaws is the Cluster Effect.
The Cluster Effect has zapped more than a few high school seniors. It happens when your short list contains colleges that are too similar in admission characteristics and are too near the “stretch” end of the scale. A stretch school is a college or university you have dreamed about attending. Stretch schools dwell on the very edge of your ability to get into them. They are not “impossible” schools for you but those you hold in very high esteem. They are your First Choices (assuming they’ll let you in).
If you apply to only stretch-type schools, you could find yourself out in the cold, mourning a fistful of those skinny rejection letters that come out every April. So, how do you avoid the Cluster Effect?
Think of your college application list in three parts: Stretch schools, Likely Candidates, and Safety schools. Your reaction to being accepted by these three types might go something like, “Yes! Yes! Yes!” (for Stretches), “Great!” (for Likelies), and “Okay.” (for Safeties). Safety schools are those where you are virtually guaranteed admission. Pick your safeties with care. There are significant differences among easy-to-get-into schools. Do your homework on safety schools. Give them the same careful consideration as the others on your list.
Incidentally, your list will be different from those of your classmates. A particular school may appear as a safety on one list and be a likely or stretch on others. You can’t judge a college or university by its position on student application lists. Again, do your college admission homework. Your efforts will be rewarded.
When is it too late to start college planning?
Question: When does it become too late to start college planning?
Within limits, the sooner you start planning for college, the better off you’ll be. Unfortunately, many students and their families don’t begin making college plans until after the senior high school year has begun. This leads to much rushing around, confusion, and–worst of all–wrong choices.
In the best of all possible worlds, the foundation of college planning should begin in ninth or tenth grade. The precise college or university doesn’t have to be selected at this early stage. Some students, however, may have an idealistic vision of one particular school upon which they have set their sights. This is fine, but the best way to approach the beginnings of college planning is with an open mind. You can have a favorite school picked out early, but be open to new information about the many fine schools available.
The key to planning for college is the high school schedule. Some students who are unsure of their plans tend to schedule easier courses rather than take challenging ones that will prove beneficial at college application time. This is where parents, students, and high school counselors should spend serious time together. Some colleges look only at the tenth through twelfth grade academic record. Others look at grades nine through twelve.
By ninth grade, a plan should emerge that determines a student’s path through high school in an honors, academic, tech-prep, or other such curriculum. It’s generally always possible to move down in curriculum level if necessary. If you are looking to go on to college, however, it will always be to your advantage to be in the most challenging curriculum possible. Colleges and universities will look to your performance in a quality schedule as the number one evaluation criterion. That’s why it’s smart to get on the right track early.
If you are a senior and haven’t made any college plans yet, it’s very important for you to take stock of your situation now. Sit down with your family and high school counselor as soon as possible and take an inventory of what you’ve done and where you are with your senior year. It’s not too late to make some quality upgrades to your schedule. Don’t panic. There are a number of options open to you. This is where your counselor can be a big help.
How can I select the right college?
Question: How can I select the right college? There are so many out there.
Don’t be overwhelmed by the thousands of colleges and universities from which you can choose. Your goal should be to limit your search by applying certain restrictions.
For example, ask yourself how far from home you want to be. Let’s say you’re willing to go to college no farther than three hours (by car) from your home. You can average about 50 miles per hour when traveling by car, taking into consideration rest and food stops and local traffic situations. That means you could consider schools within a 150-mile radius of where you live.
Get a map of your part of the country, check the mileage scale on the map, and cut a piece of string equal to 150 map miles. Connect one end of the string to a pin and the other to a pencil or marker.
Put the pin on the map where you live, pull the string out straight, annd draw a circle. Now all you have to do is find out what colleges and universities exist inside the circle. A good source for this information is the big ARCO college guide book. Schools are profiled by state and there is a map for each state showing where all the colleges and universities are located.
Other decision points come from selecting between public or private, large or small, urban or suburban, coed or single sex, liberal arts or pre-professional emphasis, warm-weather or temperate location, prestige reputation or lesser-well-known, high cost/good financial aid or lower cost/lower aid, and so forth. Going through this selection process will narrow the field from thousands to a manageable handful very quickly.
You should be able to identify at least six candidate schools by the end of your junior year in high school. I refer to this list as the hard half-dozen. These are the schools that have met your selection restrictions, the ones you want to visit during the summer before your senior year. Your visits can narrow down even this short list. Now, that was easy, wasn
How can I get a true picture of colleges?
You raise an excellent point. A college’s publications, particularly those intended to excite prospective students, are always carefully planned to show only the best and most attractive qualities of the school.
The real world of college and university life can be uncovered, though, if you’re willing to do a little bold research. After you have taken the official tour and after you’ve read the brochures, you need to talk to some students and faculty. I know that, for some of you, asking unsolicited questions of people older than you is a daunting concept. Don’t be afraid. Most students and faculty members are happy to give you their honest impressions of life at their school.
How do you go about doing this? Well, opportunities are everywhere if you know how to find them. One great place to start is the “commons” or “quad(rangle)” area of the college or university. This is usually a large, centrally located, yard-type area with lots of grass, trees, sidewalks, and benches where students and faculty hang out before and after class.
My preferred method of approach is the direct one. Incidentally, this might be a good time to temporarily break away from your parents. They can wander around on their own for a while and then meet you at a predetermined spot in an hour or so. Usually you’ll get more candid and honest answers if Mom and Dad aren’t standing there during your discussion.
After you have sized up your candidate interviewees, just wander up to him, her, or them and say something like, “Hi. I’m Bill Smith and I’m thinking about applying for admission here. Could I ask you a couple of questions about your school?” Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, you’ll get a response of, “Sure.” Just in case you don’t, be polite and just look for someone else to ask. What should you ask? Here are a few suggestions:
Do you like going to school here? Why? What is your major? How big are the classes here? How is the food? What’s your dorm like? Is there much to do? How’s the cultural life? What do you like best about this place? What do you like least? Are classes taught by professors or teaching assistants? You get the idea.
Questions for faculty members: Why should I consider attending this college? What is the best aspect of the educational program here? The worst? Is there good interaction between faculty and students? What is your best piece of advice for me as I consider college?
Get the picture?
How can I get a feel for different career areas?
Question: How can I get a feel for some of the career areas I’m interested in?
The best way to get a feel for a particular career area is to actually spend time in it. This means getting an internship, a part-time job, or volunteering in the particular area you’re after.
Coming by these kinds of opportunities, though, requires resourcefulness on your part. You’ll have to network to find openings. Start asking people you know who either work in these areas (or know someone who does) what you have to do to get “inside” the operation.
You can also get a feel for certain career areas by going to the library and checking out the numerous books that deal with professions. The World-Wide Web should also be on your list of places to check. As with all Web expeditions, start with the search engine and look for “careers” or “occupations” and you’ll probably find more information than you could possibly absorb in a week of hard study.
My personal opinion, though, is that there’s nothing like the real thing when it comes to career experience. One week of actually working a job will teach you more than a month of reading about it. That’s why your networking is so important. Usually intern-like jobs are not advertised.
They are created spontaneously whenever someone such as yourself starts to make inquiries and does a convincing job selling their ideas about working.
Even if you cannot convince anyone to let you work in your areas of interest, you may be able to merely spend some time observing what people in those careers do. Again, if you can make a contact with someone inside an area that motivates you, there may be a chance you could get permission to observe what goes on if you promise to stay out of the way. This could lead to a part-time opportunity or even to an internship.
Be creative if you want hands-on experience, or take a more conservative approach, staying with research. The choice is yours.
Are so-called “jock” schools less strong in academics?
Question: Are so-called “jock” schools less strong in academics?
First, let’s define what a “jock” school is for the benefit of those who may not know. A jock school is a college or university that has a reputation for being highly competitive in intercollegiate sports. These schools are known also for aggressively recruiting athletes to keep their sports program strong.
There is no necessary correlation between a strong athletic program and weak academics. There any number of examples of schools that have good sports programs and excellent academics. Back in 1997, Princeton University won a record number of NCAA Division I and Ivy League sports championships. They won the NCAA lacrosse title and the Ivy League football championship. I don’t think anyone questions Princeton’s academic credentials. Dartmouth College is another Ivy
League example. They have a reputation for both sports and academic excellence.
Penn State University, one of the nation’s more selective public universities, is known, of course, as a national football power. They also have very competitive teams in a number of other areas. I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture here.
The term “jock school” is a stereotype. We know how misleading stereotypes can be. My only advice to anyone trying to judge the relative academic strength of schools that have a strong sports program is to check graduation rates. Princeton and Dartmouth graduate almost every incoming freshman. Their graduation percentage is in the 95-97 percent range. Some schools, however, may be graduating only 40 percent of their freshman.
In cases where a high number of freshmen graduate, you can be assured that the academics at that school are strong and that qualified applicants are admitted regardless of how strong their jock image may be.
Does a high price tag mean that a college is good?
Question: Does a high price tag mean that a college is good?
Higher education is a lot like any other consumer product. In general, you get what you pay for. There are exceptions, though. Sometimes a surprising value can be had.
Let’s take a look at the situation. This coming fall, the nation’s most expensive schools will have student budgets (tuition, room and board, fees, books, and travel) hovering in the mid-thirty- thousand dollar range. That’s right–$35,000 or so. That’s more than a lot of families make in one year before taxes.
Other situations, such as two-year commuter schools, can be as inexpensive as $5,000 or less per year. That’s about 85% less. What’s the difference? Can one school be seven times better than another?
My answer to your question, then, is: It depends on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for the least-expensive route to a professional or technical credential that might very well move you into a skilled area of employment, then the live-at-home-and-commute option may be best for you. If you’re looking for a broader, more diversified approach to education, then some variation of the live-away-from-home-on-campus choice makes sense, even though it’s more expensive.
Another way to look at expensive schools is that they may well have the financial aid available to bring their net cost much closer to the lower-priced schools than you might imagine. You’ve heard me say here many times: Get into the best and most expensive school you can. Financial aid is the reason. The more expensive schools usually have more money to give in financial aid, thus making their true cost much lower for families who really need the help.
Try to look at potential colleges without be blinded by their costs. Once you find the right match, the financial details can be, in most cases, worked out.
