|
>
Back to Graduate
|
Selecting a University
Major factors in the very
difficult business of choosing a university are:
Relative selectivity
-- i.e., how hard it is to get in.
Courses of study --
all undergraduate colleges offer degrees in the usual academic fields.
Students wishing to take a degree in a professional or more specialized
field, such as engineering, forestry, or teaching, must seek out
universities or professional schools which offer these degrees. The
Commission's Academic Advisor can provide information on universities
for most professional fields.
Finances -- see
notes on expenses and financial aid below.
Other factors which may be
taken into account are:
Size of the college or
university:
Enrollment can vary
from under 1,000 to about 35,000. Some foreign students feel lost in
these very large institutions and, at present, small private colleges
show more interest in receiving applications from foreign students.
Residential facilities:
Some universities
in big towns have many commuters, which means there is relatively little
campus life, and this is usually a less suitable environment for foreign
students.
Religion:
Many private
institutions in the United States are of religious foundation. Students
with a strong religious faith may feel happiest in a college or
university founded by their particular denomination.
Geographical area:
a student looking
for a course in petroleum engineering, for instance, will find most
courses in this field in petrol-producing areas such as Louisiana, Texas
or Oklahoma. Students may increase their chances of success by applying
to colleges in less obviously popular areas than California, New York
and the Northeast seaboard.
Foreign students who can
go to the United States to visit campuses may find this helpful in
deciding where they prefer to study and live. Such visits do not
influence the universities' decision regarding eligibility for
admission.
Cost:
Higher education is
very costly in the United States. Tuition alone varies from
approximately $5,000 in state-supported institutions to $30,000 in some
large private institutions. These figures cover only tuition and do not
include transportation, or living expenses. The following chart is an
estimate of costs for one academic year (9 months) at public and private
universities in the high- and low-cost categories:
|
|
Public University |
Private University |
|
Tuition & Fees |
$ 5,000 - 15,000 |
$ 8,000 - 30,000 |
|
Books & Supplies |
500 - 700 |
500 - 700 |
|
Room & Board |
6,700 - 10,000 |
6,700 - 10,000 |
|
Health Insurance |
200 - 400 |
200 - 400 |
|
Incidental Expenses |
2,000 - 3,000 |
2,000 - 3,000 |
|
TOTALS |
$14,400 - 29,100 |
$17,400 - 44,100 |
Sample criteria for
selecting a college or university
The following is a list of
things that students may wish to consider when selecting a college or
university program. Not every item will be important to every student;
however, items marked with an asterisk (*) are considered to be basic
criteria to begin the search for a college or university.
-
Academic competition
level among students
-
*Academic Program
(availability of intended major, dual majors, class size, off-campus
opportunities, strength of desired program, etc.)
-
Academic requirements
for graduation
-
Academic support
programs
-
*Admissions criteria
(selectivity: percent of applicants admitted, average test scores,
grade point average, importance of interview/recommendations)
-
Advanced placement
credit given
-
Affiliation of the
college or university
-
Application deadline
-
Athletic facilities
-
Backgrounds of other
students
-
Calendar plan of the
college
-
Climate
-
Consortia
opportunities (opportunity to take classes at neighboring
universities)
-
Cooperative work-study
programs
-
*Cost
-
Counseling services
available
-
Course offerings
-
Cultural opportunities
on and off campus
-
Enrollment (total
number of students)
-
Environment
(appearance of the campus; setting: rural, suburban, urban)
-
Extracurricular
offerings
-
Facilities
-
*Faculty (professors
and instructors: availability, percent holding doctorates)
-
*Financial aid
availability
-
*Geographic location
-
Grading system
-
Honor system
-
Housing options
-
International
baccalaureate credit
-
Library facilities and
holdings
-
Placement record
(graduate schools, employment)
-
Pre-professional
programs
-
Religious affiliation
of the institution
-
Religious
organizations/activities
-
Research facilities
and opportunities
-
Student-faculty
relationships and ratio
-
Transfer possibilities
-
Transportation (bus
service, airport nearby)
-
*Type of school
(college or university, two- or four-year, liberal arts,
pre-professional)
-
Type of student body
|
|
