Directions:
Choosing a college can be a daunting task. The purpose of this activity is to give you the
opportunity to research a 4-year college that you may consider applying to during your senior
year in high school. Waiting until your senior year to research colleges is not wise. You will be
overwhelmed. The application process for colleges begins for the Cal State system in October
and for the U.C. system in November. Private schools typically begin accepting applications in
December. As you might imagine, there won’t be much time for researching colleges your senior
year. You will be too busy applying to colleges. If you know the name of the college you wish to
research, you can do a Google search with the name of the college and then click on the college’s
website. You may also visit http://www.collegeboard.org/ and click the “College Search” tab.
Then type in the name of your college in the “College QuickFinder” search box. Use the
information provided on this website and the college’s own website to answer the questions on
the following pages.
College 1
Location:
Size:
Type:
1. Traveling by car, how far away from home is this college? _____ miles
2. Traveling by car, how far away from home is this college? ___ hours ___ minutes
3. 3. Based on how far away from home your college is, would you live on campus or
commute each day? □ Live on campus □ Commute
4. What major city is this college located in or near? ____________________
5. 5. Near the college, what is there to do for fun?
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
6. How many undergraduate students (students working on a bachelor’s degree) attend your
college? ______________________
7. How many graduate students (students working on a master’s degree or higher) attend
your college? ______________________
8. Add together the number of undergraduate and graduate students. What size school is
this? □ Small (fewer than 2,000 students) □ Medium (2,000 – 15,000 students) □ Large
(more than 15,000 students)
9. How large is the campus? ______ acres
10. Is this college private or public? : □ private □ public
11. This college is for: □ co-eds (males & females) □ males □ females
12. Which test(s) are required for admission? (Check all that apply) □ SAT Scores
_________ □ ACT Score ________ □ No tests are required □ Other test(s):
___________________________________________ □ College admissions essay
required
13. Is there a minimum grade point average (G.P.A.) required ? □ Yes □ No If yes, what is
the required G.P.A.? ____.____
14. What is the average G.P.A. of the applicants who are accepted? ____.____
15. Of all the students who apply to this college, what percent of applicants are accepted?
______%
16. How much is the application fee? $____.___
17. What career do you want after graduating from college?
________________________________________________________________
18. Does this college have a major that fits your chosen career? □ Yes □ No If you answered
yes, list the major here: _______________________________ If you answered no, you
may consider researching a different college that has the major you will need for your
chosen career.
19. How many students are there to every faculty member (student to faculty ratio)? ____
students to every 1 faculty member
20. What is the average or typical class size? _____ students
Student Reviews
Go to http://www.studentsreview.com/ and find the search box entitled “Search for University”.
Type in the name of your college. Click “go”. Then answer the questions below:
What was the overall grade of the college? _____
What was the grade of the education quality? _____
What was the grade of social life? _____
What was the grade of the extracurricular activities? _____
What was the grade of the surrounding city? _____
Finance
1. How much is tuition per year for undergraduates? $ _______.___
2. How much does it cost for books and supplies per year? $ _______.___
3. How much does it cost to live on campus in the dorms? $ _______.___
4. Are there any additional fees? If so, write them on the line $ _______.___
5. What is the total cost per year to attend if you live on campus? (add up the numbers you wrote
down for questions 1-5) $ _______.___
Financial Aid
1. When is the deadline for applying for financial aid? ______________________
2. What percentage of students receive financial aid? _____%
3. List some scholarships that are available to students:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
4. List some other types of financial aid that is available to students:
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Activities
1. List some activities, clubs, sports, or organizations that are of interest to you:
_______________________________________________________________
Student Housing
1. What types of student housing are available to students? (Check all that apply) □ Same sex
dorms □ Co-ed dorms □ Apartments □ Family housing □ Other:
_______________________________________________________
2. Do freshmen have to purchase a meal plan? □ Yes □ No
3. Do freshmen have to live on campus? □ Yes □ No
4. If you choose to live in the dorms, what are your options? (Check all that apply) □ 1 student
per room □ 2 students per room □ 3 students per room □ Other:
________________________________________________________
Facilities
1. List at least five academic facilities (buildings) on campus
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
2. List at least three academic resources available on campus to help you if you need them.
_______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
3. List at least three recreational (fun) facilities on campus:
________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
