High School At Home

Choosing a College

Kinds of Colleges	Distinguishing Characteristics
Small, liberal arts	Personal attention, small class size, focus on preparation for life, rather than a single narrow field. Faculty focused on teaching rather than research. Example: Randolph-Macon College (www.rmc.edu)
Mid-size university	Broad array of majors and activities, faculty focused on teaching, sometimes specialized colleges within the university. Examples: University of Richmond (www.richmond.edu), University of Southern California (www.usc.edu)
Large university	Vast array of majors and activities, class size can be very large. Less personal attention, usually more diverse student body. Can be public or private. Examples: Virginia Commonwealth University (www.vcu.edu), California State Los Angeles (www.calstatela.edu)
Single-sex college	Similar to a liberal arts college, strong role models and alumni/ae networks, opportunity to focus on studies. Example: Mary Baldwin College (www.mbc.edu)
Technical College	Focus on engineering and science degrees, hands-on experience, specific career preparation. Examples: MIT (www.mit.edu), Virginia Tech (www.vt.edu), Cal Tech (www.caltech.edu)
Community college	Two-year school. Relatively inexpensive, easy to get into. Good opportunity to get some college experience before committing to a four-year school. Example: J. Sargeant Reynolds (www.reynolds.com)

Everyday Education's Steps to Choosing Your College Research online at Peterson's Best College Deals Choose at least 3-5 colleges -- some with your heart, at least two with your head Visit each college if possible Apply for early decision if you are sure of where you want to go Remember you can succeed anywhere

Other things to consider Available Majors Faculty / Student Ratio Close to home / Far away Big city / Small town Sports / Activities Financial Aid Religious/Secular Your high school grades Your career plans

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