Students should look as their college choice and major as a process and journey, not as a one-time choice. Your student should start by thinking about the region he or she wants to attend school. Some students want to stay close to home. Some want to get as far away as possible. Search for colleges and universities with majors that your student is considering. (More on choosing a major later.). Most colleges have extensive websites with valuable admissions information, online tours,financial aid information, etc.
Use the website to narrow your student's options and then go visit those colleges. Never let your student decide on attending a college or university without having visited the campus!!!
Obviously, starting this process in the student's sophomore year will give you more time to explore, but it's not too late even for those students who have graduated. Colleges are always recruiting studets. Also, sometimes it's smart to start with a local community college to get core courses, with the plan of transferring later.
As a parent, it's important to have certain criteria for choosing a college. It's expected to try out for the schools that have earned their name in certain fields and even try out for the parent's alma mater. But the student's criteria should also be accounted for, since they are the ones who will be attending.
ReplyDeleteAurora Orsini