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If you haven't read the first and second parts of the guide, we recommend reading them before continuing further on the article. They can be found in the Great Big Simplified Guide to College Part 1 and Alternatives to College Part 2
As always, please email the Central Tribune if you have any feedback. We welcome your point of view and please enjoy!
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For most, the next question after deciding on a possible career or general direction for college is to figure out where you want to go. It can seem a little tricky, especially if you aren’t entirely sure about what you want for certain factors, but this guide will hopefully make it a little easier. Included in the article will also be my thoughts on the usnews.com college rankings (in short- They are nonsense).
To start, below is a list of common criteria to look for when searching for a college. This should give you an idea of different measures that you can ‘weigh’ colleges by.
-Affordability: First and foremost, the end cost of a college is a major factor to look for. This can be found through a quick Google search, but you should check to see what you’ll actually pay! Public universities such as Oregon State University and Western charge students who live in the same state as the college less than those who come from out of state. OSU tuition, for example, is about $14,000 for in-state students and $36,000 for out-of-state students. If you are looking at private universities, like Linfield or Stanford, they will generally name only one price, called their sticker price, which doesn’t change depending on what state you’re from. For most private universities, that sticker price is much higher than an in-state public university. However, it’s important to note that many private universities give financial aid, especially depending on your financial situation, which can help to balance out the cost. If you are applying to a college outside of Oregon, a private or a public college will likely cost similar amounts. More about this topic will be covered in a later article.
-Size: Some want a larger university, with more people, activities, facilities, sports, and potential opportunities. Others want smaller universities, where you can have more time with professors and better support. Both have benefits and drawbacks, but it is useful to separate them into under 3,000 students, under 10,000 students, and above 10,000 students. Examples of these include Willamette University, at 2,400 students, Western Oregon University, at 7,500 students, and Oregon State at 37,000 students.
-Programs: These are what you’ll study in college, ranging from psychology to business. If you are interested in getting a degree in a subject, check that the university has what you’re interested in. For instance, WOU doesn’t have an engineering program at all. Most large state universities will have most to all common programs (but if you’re interested in entomology or viticulture, you might have to look further).
-Location: This is fairly self-explanatory- if you dislike the idea of living in a city, you may not want to go to a college in a city. If you like the outdoors, look for colleges in areas that have natural amenities. Another thing to consider too is the travel time of going from your home to college.
-Sports: Larger universities will have more division sports, club sports hosted by the university, and intramural sports. If you want to watch large sporting events in a big stadium, it’s something to consider. That being said, some universities are more driven by their sports than others, so it’s worth doing some research.
-People: Check the statistics of the people going to the certain college you’re interested in. Do you want to go to an all-girls college, like Mount Holyoke? Or a polytechnic school that's 70% male? Are the students happy? What are current students' complaints? You can even google ‘stereotypes about students who go to ____ college/university’. In general, large state universities will have a relatively even mix of students, and more selective (ie rejective) colleges will also have a more even mix of students. Schools that are known for engineering will generally have more men, and liberal arts schools will generally have more women.
-Opportunities: Google how the college you’re interested in does in terms of clubs, organizations, career service buildings, and study abroad programs. If you’re wanting to do marine biology, choose one that’s near the coast. Cities will generally have more opportunities than smaller towns, but it generally depends.
-Party Scene: Is it known for parties? Are you interested in that? Some colleges are well-known for their party scenes, while others are known for their other benefits.
First, make a list of
If you find a college you are interested in, check to see if you can take a virtual or in-person tour. Many colleges since the pandemic have filmed a tour of their campus that takes you along a real tour, and it's a very easy way to find out a lot about a college.
Some colleges even have ‘Discover/Fly-in’ programs which will, for free, help to cover the cost of you visiting the college. Some will fly you out to the college for a week and show you around, while others might help pay for a plane ticket. Most of these programs are limited and happen during the summer and fall, but if you are lower income, first generation, or come from a minority background, they are a fantastic way for you to learn about a college. See the link for details: https://blog.collegevine.com/college-fly-in-and-diversity-programs-a-complete-list/
Why the US News Rankings are Nonsense:
In short: The rankings you see are run by a for-profit company that uses metrics that favor rich schools with rich students, do not take into account the actual impact on students or individual colleges' characteristics, and do not actually predict how good colleges are. The rankings will radically change year to year, and the metrics for them have not been consistent, leading some colleges to fall up to thirty places in the rankings. Really, comparing a college like Western Oregon University, which graduates a large number of first-generation students, to a college like Washington University in St. Louis, where ⅕ of students come from families making more than $630,000 per year, isn’t reasonable. That’s US News for you. Take it as a very quick measure and don’t pay attention to it.
More reading if you are interested in this topic and its effects on colleges:
The next article in the series will cover how to pay for college and what it might look like.
This includes:
-scholarships
-financial aid
-in-state/out-of-state, private vs. public
-WUE
-How your family income can affect the aid
-loans
-FAFSA/CSS