The College Search Process
So, you have decided you want to go to college- that's great! Now the real work begins- finding the best fit school for you. Picking the right college is a big decision! Luckily, there are a plethora of resources to help you research, create a list, narrow your list, and find that perfect fit!
With over 4,500 colleges and universities nationwide, it is critical to take these steps one at a time and keep focused on finding the best fit school for YOU!
Step 1- Identify what you are looking for in a school
An absolute must for figuring out what school will be a good fit is first identifying what you are looking for and what your needs and wants entail. An easy way to do this is by working through this How Do I Identify What I Want In A College list of questions and answering what your preference is for each one.
Step 2- Create your long list of colleges
Once you know what you are looking for, you can start to look! The most efficient way to actually create your initial list of schools is by using tools that will filter out schools using the criteria you developed in step 1.
Some of my go-to matching platforms can be found on the following sites:
> Minnesota Career Information System (MCIS)
> Click "Log in with Clever", search Simley, then use your school
credentials (same as campus and Schoology) to log in
> College Navigator (https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/)
> College Express (https://www.collegexpress.com/)
> Niche (https://www.niche.com/colleges/search/best-colleges/)
> Big Future (https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/)
Step 3- Narrow your list of schools
Now that you have a long list of schools, it is time to dig deeper and do some research. Many of the sites listed about will be helpful tools to learn more about schools on your list.
You can also go directly to the college's website to have a closer look at what they have to offer or attend a college representative session at Simley when they visit (typically in first trimester). The very best way to figure out if a school will be a good fit for you is to go on a campus visit. Step foot on campus, meet with admissions, take a tour, hear from actual students, eat a meal, attend a class, and see if you can really envision yourself attending as a student. See the College Visits tab on the left for more support!