College selection is the most overlooked part of the application process. Most students choose their college with no strategy for choice. Some of the reasons students choose their college:
- They are familiar with the name
- Their friend went there
- Their friend (boyfriend/girlfriend) is going there
- Mom wants me close to home
- I want to go to the “best” college
- I love the beach
There are many moving parts when selecting a college. Sometimes students choose a college (because of the reasons listed above) and then find that the college does not even offer the major they prefer. It is important to research the college choice for many reasons. The college must be a good “fit” for the student. If it is not, the student will be unhappy and may want to transfer. The transfer process will cost money in lost time and lost credits. Some things to be considered in college selection include test scores and selectivity, type of school, location, campus and housing, majors and learning environment, sports and activities, cost/financial aid.
In our college search, we do multiple comprehensive assessments that probe students’ interests, personality, skills, and values and reliably direct each student to a major, a college and a career where he/she is most likely to succeed. Our primary assessments include:
- You Science-add description
- My Majors-add description
Once the self assessments and personality types are determined, students meet with our college and career specialist to discuss the results and determine a path for major and career. Next, we do a targeted college search using the major/career as a guide along with the following criteria:
- Student SAT or ACT scores
- Undergraduate size
- Location type (city, suburb, rural, etc.)
- Common class size
- Acceptance rate
- GPA range
- College style
Research indicates that students who select a major/college based on aptitudes, personality and interests are more likely to graduate on time, thus saving thousands of dollars. They are more likely to earn higher grades, stick with the major through graduation, and be happier in their career. Our assessments determine personality type, show college majors and careers to match the personality, list colleges by majors, and links students to those colleges.
