The Desert Colossus

Community => General Discussion => Topic started by: DW on February 02, 2009, 09:38:57 PM

Title: Picking a College
Post by: DW on February 02, 2009, 09:38:57 PM
Man, this is tough. My inbox just started getting crammed with stuff from colleges that want me to apply/come for a visit, all that. One in Minnesota's looking good, but it's pretty far...also got asked to apply to one that Blank (HA2ers will know him) was accepted to...tough decision.

What's the important thing to look for?
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: darkphantomime on February 02, 2009, 10:08:37 PM
First of all, you'll want a public college. Much cheaper and usually better than a private college.

Second of all, you'll need to think about what you're interested in. A college suited to what you want to do is something to look for.

Proximity to home (like in the same state) is usually a plus.

Don't believe the bull**** that schools put out so you'll notice them (IE: "High achieving" "Success", etc)

Do your research on the colleges that look interesting. Sometimes going to a college far away isn't worth it, unless it's a high-rated school. Going to school out of state can also be more expensive (tuition rates higher)

Hope that helps.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: alical on February 03, 2009, 12:07:29 AM
I'm not exactly sure how the American college system works so if any of this doesn't apply over there, sorry.

I think the first thing you should do is find the course you want to do.
Then search for the colleges/universities that offer that course and have good scores on it/ high employment rates after studying it there etc.
Then out of those ones you should pick the ones you feel best about, depending on what is important to you, i.e. proximity to home, size, area.
Good luck.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Darth Wyndisis on February 03, 2009, 05:39:51 AM
If you know what you want to major in, this is a good resource:  http://www.a2zcolleges.com/  It tells you what colleges in which state have which major, among other things.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: DarkZelda on February 03, 2009, 12:28:06 PM
I'm in the same boat.
I'm a senior this year, and have had tons upon tons of messages about colleges.
I chose (and got accepted) to the local college in my area.
I'm majoring in music, and they have a wonderful marching, symphonic, and jazz bands as well as other ensembles.
Close enough to home yet far enough to live away.
Works for me.
:-)
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Pyrgusfinn on February 03, 2009, 04:39:48 PM
Same here DZ.  One important thing that you should do before deciding which college you want to go to is visit it.  A friend of mine who graduated last year got accepted to her first choice school, thought she would love it and never visited.  She HATES it.  haha. you don't really get to see what the college is really about unless you get a chance to see it out of brochures and talk to the students there.  You should also try and look for places that are going to be reasonable budget wise.  I'm going to a private school, but they are pretty much giving me a full ride because of grades and scholarships.  You don't want to not apply somewhere because you don't think you can pay for it, but you should try and find something reasonable.

feel free to pm me with questions if you want.   :)
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: DW on February 04, 2009, 09:50:18 AM
Well, the amount of material to read through has more than doubled since yesterday. Apparently every single college is 'for individuals'.

...

College is going to be full of emos, isn't it?
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Darth Wyndisis on February 04, 2009, 01:01:12 PM
There aren't too many where I'm at, but I guess it depends on where you go.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: DW on February 04, 2009, 09:05:11 PM
Got another round of emails...so far I'm up to fourteen. Mostly trying to decide how important a school with drama is to me, and to what degree I want to study acting. There's always the AADA, assuming I audition well enough to get in, and that would devote me almost entirely to acting. I could probably get a career acting if I went through there. There are still other subjects though...hmm. Moving far away wouldn't be that fun either.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Hi no Seijin on February 05, 2009, 05:50:50 PM
Do you have any other interests besides acting?

Quote from: Shika on February 04, 2009, 09:50:18 AM
College is going to be full of emos, isn't it?
For the most part, I avoided people.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: darkphantomime on February 05, 2009, 06:10:54 PM
Acting is a highly competitive field. I'd advise with something a little more 'concrete', if you know what I mean. That way, you don't starve.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: DW on February 05, 2009, 09:41:45 PM
I'm good with math, history, physics, literature...well, I have a lot of strengths. I enjoy physics, but honestly I think the jobs that come with that field would bore me. Too much solitude and loneliness. History...wondering what I could do with that field. I like philosophy, but the only philosophy class we have here is at the other high school, and I'm not allowed to take it. *grumble*

Got my PSATs back today. 98th percentile.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Pale Dim on February 06, 2009, 05:09:33 PM
Is that good or bad?
You could work on becoming a Historian...That's what I'm gonna do if I don't get successful with acting or art.
But yeah. Something concrete, like JQ said, and it usually has to be something you enjoy. That way, time actually flies when your working, and you know what they say:"Time flies when you're having fun!"
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: darkphantomime on February 06, 2009, 05:11:28 PM
PSAT's are nothing.

Good luck on the SATs though.

If only college were one 100% free joyride.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Pale Dim on February 06, 2009, 05:15:09 PM
If that was the case, my Dad wouldn't be taking online courses from the University of Phoenix.

...At least, anymore.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: DW on February 07, 2009, 11:32:18 AM
Quote from: JQ Pickwick on February 06, 2009, 05:11:28 PM
PSAT's are nothing.

Good luck on the SATs though.

If only college were one 100% free joyride.

Well, I did that without any practice...so if I stop slacking off and finish learning those math skills I've forgotten, I should be able to do much better than I did on the PSATs.

I've signed up for information packets from...around eleven of the twenty five colleges so far, I believe. Several want me to visit the campus...heh, if they pay for me to fly to Chicago to visit their University, who am I to say no?

Also, if I go to a school like St. Mary's or St. Martin's, how big of an emphasis is there on religion? I know you went to a...I think it was a catholic college, JQ. Is the education pretty much the same as other colleges?
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: darkphantomime on February 07, 2009, 03:24:09 PM
Baptist college, though I'm really not a fan. Religious colleges follow under the domain of private colleges, thus they are more expensive than public. The college I went to required that I take religious classes, an idea which I am not a fan of at all. They also required us to attend a little something every tuesdday morning. about religion.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: DW on February 11, 2009, 05:15:41 PM
I'm close to fifty college sites to check out now :'( Whenver I get enough time to look at these...oh man.

Anyways, Knox, Rice, and Tulane seem pretty interesting so far...as well as Lewis and Clark, which is actually pretty close. My concern about Tulane is that it's in New Orleans...that's pretty far away, and I don't wanna be there when the Hurricanes come around.

Oh, right. Humboldt says if I apply there they'll give me free stickers :P
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: jdubroxs on February 11, 2009, 07:41:28 PM
Quote from: Shika on February 02, 2009, 09:38:57 PM
Man, this is tough. My inbox just started getting crammed with stuff from colleges that want me to apply/come for a visit, all that. One in Minnesota's looking good, but it's pretty far...also got asked to apply to one that Blank (HA2ers will know him) was accepted to...tough decision.

What's the important thing to look for?
Oh yes, i've gotten like 50 different email letters from colleges as well. I know what you mean! its hard to choose what college i want to go, but i think i've got my mind set on kirtland, its close to home, and its gonna save me on a lot of gas money cause the college i plan on going to is about 45 minute trip from my house, and for local students, i get a cheaper price on anything. And i got this thing that pays for all my college books and stuff. So I almost have to pay nothing for college, i love it. Thats why i am going to Kirtland Community College. Most my friend's go there anyway, so thats also why i want to go there.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Pyrgusfinn on February 11, 2009, 08:00:55 PM
yeah. The college I plan on attending is about 4.5-5 hours away so its close enough to get home in a hurry, but far enough away that I won't have to worry about my parents being clingy haha.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: DW on February 12, 2009, 10:33:38 PM
I just finished sending in the information to all of the colleges...it's over thirty at least, too tired to count...probably get more tomorrow as well. Geeze.

Knox. Anyone know how good a college that is?
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: jdubroxs on February 13, 2009, 07:41:03 AM
Yea, this is the best part about Senior Year, the whole 50 inbox messages from different colleges. lol
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Twilight Wolf on February 19, 2009, 07:26:25 PM
Related to the topic at hand, I've been getting ads from colleges in the mail. Kind of odd considering I'm only a sophomore; I should technically only be a freshman if it weren't for the fact I skipped a year. I guess they're getting a head start.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Hi no Seijin on February 19, 2009, 07:28:42 PM
It doesn't hurt to start thinking about college in your sophomore year, but you shouldn't really start to worry about it until your junior or senior year.
Title: Re: Picking a College
Post by: Twilight Wolf on February 19, 2009, 07:31:12 PM
Yeah, but the thing is, I can't be going to college right after high school. Seeing as I'm homeschooled, I'm going to have to go to the community college for two years before a college would accept me since I won't be graduating from an acredited high school.