Juniors: Take Time to Ponder Before You Build your College List

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What do you think you want out of college? Set aside some hours to research and really think about your priorities and your college plans. Before you start your college search, slow down and take some time to think about your top priorities. It’ll be time well spent.

It’s important to fit in academically so you can be comfortable with the workload. Choose a college or university that offers multiple areas of academic interest. Students usually test the waters and change majors at the college level (2-3 times on average), so you want to make sure there are myriad programs available that meet ALL your potential academic interests. Taking some time to research these things now can save you aggravation down the road.

You are going to be on campus for 4 years, so you better like the atmosphere! For most students, going off to college marks the first time they’ve moved away from home. Making sure the college environment is the right fit will pave the way for a comfortable & happy experience. Do some research and find out what each college has to offer and what the surrounding community is like. What do you like to do? Can you pursue those interests on that campus, in that town? Being in the right atmosphere makes all the difference in the world.

Here are some questions to ponder: What academic areas interest you? What campuses are recognized for the particular academic programs that excite you? What is your desired outcome? Do you prefer a school that has a small tight knit community or a large research institution that’s very school spirited with things like football? What do you like to do with your free time? What extracurricular activities do you enjoy? Do you want a traditional enclosed campus in a college town or rural setting or an urban hub? This will really help you narrow down your college list and potentially introduce you to new colleges you’ve never even heard of. We always tell students to try and remain as flexible as possible for as long as possible, so as not to shut out possibilities too early!

We ask probing questions of our students to help them figure out what they want. Having consulted with hundreds of students, we know the right questions to ask to get them thinking about what college might offer. Deciding what you want out of your college experience can make your search much smoother. Through our one-on-one consultations, we help our students figure out what they want & introduce colleges that make sense for their needs.

We have a good command of colleges around the country. We spend a great deal of time
traveling the US, touring different college campuses and meeting with admissions reps. Our unique experiences with all sorts of schools allow us to assist you in an effective & broad college search. It’s our business to make sure you apply to schools that fit your needs.

Call us at (818) 207-0263 to schedule a one-on-one consultation and discuss your goals and needs for college.