I have a mild obsession with organization. Color-coded binders and sticky notes were staple items in my backpack all throughout high school (…and college, and graduate school). When the time came to apply to college, I put my organizational skills to good use. I went to the bookstore and perused hundreds of pages of college selection books. I took bountiful notes, I dog-eared pages, I highlighted, I labeled, I read everything about every college. Despite my meticulous approach (which was still helpful), the college application process remained daunting. Why? Because after all my efforts, I still did not have the faintest clue about what I wanted in a school. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: college planning, college search tools, finding the right college
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Is anyone freaking out thinking you need to choose a career before you graduate from high school?  I did.  I’m talking nail biting, cold sweats, near melt down – freaking out.  Okay, it probably wasn’t quite that extreme, but choosing a college major before even finishing high school was very stressful for me.

Here’s the thing, college is a time of discovery.  In college you will have the opportunity to take classes in subjects you’ve never studied before.  You’ll be taught by professors and sharing classes with students who have completely different experiences, and come from different cultures and backgrounds from yours.  You will discover strengths and talents, and even weaknesses you never knew you had.  That’s kind of the whole purpose of higher education.  Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: choosing a college major, declare a major, find the right college
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I am a creative person, a free thinker… a student of the world, if you will. And that’s exactly why an Arts and Humanities degree was right for me. I loved taking classes in comparative religions, gender and race studies, the history of dance and the philosophy of machines. I am also well aware that none of those classes had any practical use in my daily life, certainly not the way a class in thermodynamics would be useful to a mechanical engineer. But I see the purpose for a college education beyond a professional application.  I believe strongly in the value of expanding your mind and studying random and interesting subjects while you can.  Of course that’s not to negate the fact that I then went to graduate school in hopes of becoming more employable, or that on occasion, I wish I was a dentist. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: best college degrees, is college worth the money, value of college degrees
Posted in College Search | 1 Comment »

There’s a reason people line up at the mall before dawn on the biggest sale days.  It’s because everybody loves a bargain, and at WiseChoice, we believe college tuition should be no different.  We’ve just recently released our list of top ten colleges in the U.S. offering the greatest value with some of the best financial aid you can find.

How does going to school in our nation’s capital on a scholarship sound?  Be sure to check out Catholic University of America which offers subsidized federal nursing scholarships and loans and many merit-based scholarships.  What about a state university set in the Rocky Mountains offering major scholarships to out-of-state students and freshman?  Montana State University may be the school for you. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: college search tool, finding the right college, top ten colleges best value
Posted in College Search | 2 Comments »

Natalie Hikel

“Are you going to the game?”  “Does this look good?”  “What did you think of that test?”

Have you ever stopped to think how often you ask your friends for their opinions?  I ask my friends for their insight all of the time, from do they think Serena and Nate will get together, to suggestions on how I should tell my mom something.  I value the advice of my friends (and even my parents) because not only do they get me, but chances are they’ve encountered a similar experience themselves and can share what they’ve learned. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: college blog, College Search
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Hi, my name is Natalia and I am currently a high school senior, hoping to study engineering in college. Like many of you, I am in the process of choosing and applying to colleges; I started with a list of over 20 schools, but I managed to eliminate about ten from my list. If you do the math, I saved about $600 in application fees. So how did I choose which schools I would eventually apply to? I did a college visit with every school on my list. I used to be one of those students who thought I could make a decision on the university I’d attend just by reviewing the schools’ websites and brochures, but when I tried to shorten my list, I realized that wasn’t helping me. Luckily, my high school offers juniors an opportunity to take a college visit of in-state colleges. I live in Florida and there is a state-wide scholarship here that helps students who are residents pay for collegiate education within the state. My high school encourages all students to apply to in-state colleges, and the college visits help the students get excited about state schools. Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: applying to colleges, college tours, finding the right college
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It’s getting down to the wire and college application deadlines are just around the corner. Are worries of something falling through the cracks keeping you awake at night? Well, worry no more. Complete all the items below and you’ll stay organized and on top of things.

• Confirm college application deadlines, whether you are applying early, regular, or rolling admission

• Request that your guidance counselor send both your high school transcript and midyear report to your schools Read the rest of this entry »

Tags: college application essay, college planning, recommendation letters
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“What’s wrong with transferring?” Jay Mathews of The Washington Post asks this question of a survey completed by WiseChoice.  The survey, which included over 800 college freshmen nationwide, found that 33% were already thinking about transferring.  That seems like quite a large percentage to WiseChoice, especially just a few months into the first semester of college.  WiseChoice believes that if students took more time to research their selected schools before applying, many could eliminate transferring and instead, find college to be a rewarding experience right from the start. (Not to mention, avoiding the headaches and costs associated with transferring.)

However, Mr. Mathews argues that transferring to another college is part of the maturation process, “trying something and seeing if it works, then moving on if it doesn’t.”

So, what do others have to say about transferring? Read real life examples from those who transferred colleges and the situations they encountered.

Tags: college research, College Transfer, transferring colleges, WiseChoice
Posted in College Search | 1 Comment »