Unlocking the College Search Process

Unlocking the College Search Process 

The college search process can seem like a daunting and overwhelming endeavor. It does not have to be: in fact, it can be an exciting and fun experience. There are many resources available to aid in this process and getting an early start (ideally by the end of sophomore year in high school) can produce good results in finding the right school for your child.

While traditional resources like US News and World Report College Rankings and Barron’s College Guide can provide a vast amount of information about schools, there are many other resources and tactics that can assist in the search process. The key is to begin with a deep understanding of your child’s academic credentials and to match them up with the admission standards for the various schools. Other sites like Naviance, College Navigator, Big Future and Petersen’s are also frequently used to gather information about colleges.

While test scores (ACT and/or SAT ) will come into focus during Junior year in high school, you can use your child’s GPA and PACT/PSAT scores to build an initial list of schools for further exploration. Ideally, an initial college search list should be split equally over Fit, Reach, and Safety schools. Build a list that is initially bigger, maybe 15 to 20 schools, with the goal of paring that down to seven to 10 schools that your son/daughter may eventually apply to. 

Online tools like Youtube can also provide a wealth of information about colleges. You can visit the school’s website and find the link for a “Virtual Tour” that will guide you through the campus, student life, and academic offerings. 

When embarking on a college search, it is important to consider these factors:

•  the location of the school (do you want to stay in a certain driveable radius or are you open to schools that you would need to fly back and forth to?)

• the size of the school 

• urban, suburban, or rural?

• distinguishing characteristics the campus community may be known for. 

Defining your priorities can be a big asset to the search, but it may not be totally realistic to know everything you are looking for in a college at the onset. That is why it is helpful to build an initial target list that is more varied and enables you to learn about different school models to get a clear idea of what you want and need in a school. Visiting schools both during the summer and also when they are in full session is perhaps the most important way to learn more and get a feel for a potential fit. If you really like the school and may be considering it as a top choice, other activities like attending a football or basketball game or concert on campus can be helpful ways to further assess a potential fit. 

Maybe you would enjoy a large public university with big time athletics, or perhaps a smaller liberal arts school with a smaller enrollment, or maybe a Catholic university that is in alignment with your values background? Crimson Consulting can help you get the process started and map out an action plan for a successful search process. Woody Garavente and Greg Cuccinello are ready to help.

Call us at 908.991.6920