How did you/your child choose a college?

[bsnyder]

I've got one who's a sophomore and one who'll be a freshman next year so I'm currently well versed in the whole process, which is a lot different than when I went to college.

We went on college visits during Spring Break of the junior year. And then a couple of follow up visits senior year to the favorites. My older son changed his decision at the last minute (late April) and chose a small in-state private school, over the out-of-state public school that he thought he wanted to go to. He hasn't regretted it.

Younger son was accepted to his dream school a few weeks ago....the University of Southern California. He hasn't really wavered from this choice since 9th grade. The money situation is NOT good for us (we don't qualify for any need-based aid, and so far, USC is the only school that hasn't offered him any merit aid). But we'll figure out a way to make it work.

Princeton has an online financial calculator, where you can plug in your numbers and get a good idea of what your EFC (Estimated Financial Contribution) will be. This will give you a rough idea of whether you will qualify for any need-based aid. Keep in mind that your numbers will change if you have a second (or third) child start college while the first is still there. Also, as another poster pointed out, colleges will expect that any money in your child's name will be counted first, in determining financial need, and they'll decrease need-based $$ accordingly.

www.princeton.edu

Also, US News puts out a college guide every year. The online premium addition costs about $12 for the year, and is well worth it. It has information and stats on hundreds of colleges, as well as their rankings, which all the colleges and universities tout in their brochures.

http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankindex.php

College Confidential is a great discussion board, with sections for admissions, financial aid, and even a parents board. I've found the parents and many of the kids on there to be very helpful.

www.collegeconfidential.com

And lastly, it's been my experience, in watching my kids and many of their friends go through this process in the last few years, that it is ultra competitive, and very hard to predict, for the most selective schools (the US News Top 25). Most of the applicants are extremely well qualified, with near perfect SAT's, straight A's and a list of extra curricular activities a mile long. Only a fraction of those that apply get into the Ivies and other top schools (Harvard's acceptance rate last year was 11%). I wouldn't discourage a kid from going for it, but I'd also make sure they knew the realities, and that no matter what their credentials, it's going to also be somewhat of a random process.

Good luck to your DD. I think that's great that she's starting to think about her future at this point!

 

[Alice28]

I went to community college first cause I thought I didn't have enough math credits to get into a university (only went to geometry). Did that for two years and got my general ed for only $84 a semester + books. I never really had a desire to "go away" to college, so I just transferred to San Jose State, which was 15 minutes from my parent's home. Got my BA after two years there and that was that!

 

[Snowysmom]

My son is a college freshman. He knew he wanted to stay in Mass. so we researched colleges in the area that had his major, biology. Also, his guidance department had some software that could do that search for you. We visited the colleges during junior year, usually during his school vacation week when college would be in session. That way we got an idea of what it was really like. He applied to 6 schools. We narrowed it down even more once he was accepted and visited 2 schools one more time. He was down to BU and UMass. He asked his science teachers for what they would recommend. He decided he didn't like the city atmosphere of BU. He liked that professors at Umass took the time to talk with him, students talked with him, and his science teachers highly recommended the biology program at UMass. He is now a biochemistry major hoping to go to Med school. The school is great for him, the facilities are up to date, he likes the country type campus, and he is doing well. We will be doing all this again in a few years. Good luck with your search.

 

[arminnie]

Originally posted by MaryAnnDVC
if that means that my son, OR MY DAUGHTERS, love to tinker with cars and wants to be a mechanic, then so be it even if *gasp* the neighbors aren't impressed.

Being a mechanic takes quite a bit of skill and knowledge. I don't know why you think "the neighbors" wouldn't be impressed. It also can pay quite very well.

But back to the original question - I was a very good student with excellent SAT scores and I wanted to attend a school with a selective admissions policy. I also needed financial aid which is often much easier to come by at a private school.

I did undergraduate work at Newcomb/Tulane in New Orleans. I loved going to a women's college that was part of a major university. Tulane is a great school to go to for someone interested in medical school. A very high percentage of Tulane students who apply to med school get accepted.

I agree that it is more difficult to get into college these days. Tulane admitted about 40% of those who applied last year as opposed to about 60% five years ago.

My MBA is from Stanford which has a really top notch business school. I really do believe in trusting your gut feelings about the school. Twenty five years ago no one could believe that I was turning down a scholarship to attend Harvard Business School but that was really the right decision for me.