Narrowing Your Field of Dreams for College
Deciding where to attend college is one of the hardest (and most important) decisions of your life; the choice should not be made lightly or at the last minute. There are several things to consider before settling on a specific campus. Plus, you may be making this decision with your parents. Yes, that’s right; mom and dad will likely want to have a say in this part of your life, too. And let’s face it: whether they pay for your college or not, they’ll want to know you’re making an informed decision.
It’s important to remember that students and parents might look at and evaluate prospective colleges differently. Parents may want to know the hard facts about a school and, of course, how much it costs. Students are more likely to be interested in location and the social scene. So, how do you find colleges that are right for you and ones that please your parents, too? Follow these tips for narrowing your field of dreams to ensure your college choice doesn’t become a nightmare. Read the rest of this entry »
Don’t Let the Path to College Turn Into a Haunted Hayride
With fall underway, many students are already well into a schedule of classes and exams, homecoming festivities and Halloween parties. And, while a few high school students fear haunted hayrides in October, many more students fear the path looming ahead – planning for college. We all know the journey to college can be stressful, but it can also be important and exciting. Some students will obtain a few bumps and bruises along the way, so knowing where to begin is key to a successful search and to finding the right college! Here’s what you should know – start early and start now. Check out the following WiseChoice tips so you can start your college planning: Read the rest of this entry »
How to Get the Most Out of a College Fair
Ladies and gentleman, it is finally here! The college fair! Granted, you may not find funnel cake and ferris wheels, but nonetheless, it is still an exciting fair. A college fair is a gathering of colleges and universities (ranging anywhere from ten to hundreds of schools) in one convenient location. They allow prospective students to talk with college representatives to learn more about their specific institutions. College fairs are useful because they can help you learn more about a college you already know well, help you eliminate some from your list, or acquaint you with schools you never considered. Your high school counselor is an excellent resource to find college fairs in your area. You can also review the 2010 National College Fairs Schedule to find a fair close to you. Read the rest of this entry »
College Planning Tips From an “Inside Source”
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 »
Ten Colleges & Universities Offering the Biggest Bang for Your Buck
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 »
The College Visit: Is It Really a Big Deal?
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 »
The Realities of the College Transfer
“If you don’t like your college, you can always transfer.” How many times have you heard that? You must admit, it seems to take the pressure off of finding the right college. You choose a college, and if it doesn’t work out, you transfer. Sounds easy enough, right?
But before you make a decision just to end the tiresome college research, let’s look at the implications of transferring: Read the rest of this entry »
Your College Search: Easy? No. Worth the Time? Absolutely.
WiseChoice has released the results of its latest survey of over 800 college freshmen nationwide. The results are eye-opening: One-third of current college freshmen are thinking about transferring. (One-third!) And more believe that there must be a better school for them than their current one. Some of the reasons cited are:
-Nothing in common with other students
-Lack of campus and student diversity
-Unhelpful faculty
-Not offering their major of choice
The survey reinforces the idea that investing the time upfront on a thorough college search could prevent students the trouble of transferring. Instead, they could thrive and be happy succeeding at the right college from the start. Plus, transferring schools can be an expensive proposition (think: another round of application fees, possible lost credits, and so on).
Read more about the results of the freshmen college survey in our latest WiseChoice Press Release.
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