Admissions Expertise Are guidebooks, relatives, and rankings useful in choosing a school? Guidebooks can be very useful and unbiased sources of information about colleges you are interested in attending. These sources contain the latest information, and will give you a good overview of each college. Relatives and rankings should be taken with a grain of salt, as these sources are not always reliable. While relatives will tell you about their particular experiences, every person is different and may have different views. It is always best to visit the campus and form your own opinion. Students and families should be cautious of rankings, as the methodologies behind many of these rankings have flaws. Also consider that just because a school is ranked highly, does not mean it will be the best "fit" for you. The bottom line is that students should attend a school where they feel most comfortable. I often say to my students to simply listen to your heart. If your heart is telling you that this can be home for four years, this is probably a college you want to attend. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. Does class size matter? This is a question many students do not consider or care about during the admissions process. I recall my college counselor constantly asking me, "Do you want to be a name or a number?" At the time I found it to be the "stupidest question I had ever heard," and did not realize how important it was until I attended college. Small class sizes will give the students access to the professor, and often will help when it comes time for grades. When the professor knows the student's name and knows he or she has been a diligent student, the professor is more likely to give them the benefit of the doubt. In addition, large classes will be supplemented by Teaching Assistants (TA's as they are often referred to). TA's will often times teach these classes and will be the providers of outside help, if even offered at all. While this may not seem like a big deal, students truly need to have the actual professor teaching them the material, and not a TA who may not even hold a Bachelor's degree! Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. Does it matter how many contacts a student has with the school? Something students do not know is that colleges are constantly tracking how and when you are contacting them. Colleges actually track every way in which they contact you, and you contact them. Each form of contact is weighted differently, with many giving point values to each form of contact. This basically means that the more points you accrue through communicating with that college, the more interested you theoretically are. The admissions office tracks these students, and will take into account how interested a student is in their school. This helps even more once the student is accepted, as they will be invited to more exclusive admitted students events, along with being considered for more scholarship money if the student appeals their award. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. How important is it to visit each college and network with the admissions reps? Speaking as a former admissions officer, this is actually a very important thing for students to do. Be sure that your particular admissions officer knows who you are! Also make sure that you make a good impression, use proper etiquette and manners, project yourself as an independent and responsible young adult, and express your enthusiasm for the school. Admissions officers meet many people, but remember the students who are either well prepared or completely underprepared. Keep in mind that the person you see at the college fair or speak to on campus, will often times be the same person who is reading your application. Any time you have the opportunity to get in touch with these people make a good impression, as it can be the difference maker when the admissions officer is reading your application. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. What should prospective students know about intercollegiate sports? As I tell every student, be aware of the commitment at each level. While D-I and D-II offer athletic scholarship money, these levels of competition require a lot more commitment. I often compare this to having a full-time job as you will be expected to perform at a certain level. D-III allows you to play your respective sport at a high level of competition, but also allows you to have the full college experience (i.e. graduating on time, the ability to participate in other social activities, and earning a solid GPA). It is important that student athletes graduate college with a degree and with a solid GPA, as you will likely need to disclose your GPA to prospective employers when seeking that first job! For parents be sure that your child's prospective college coach is emphasizing the importance of earning a college degree, and not just emphasizing what takes place on the field. Likes Like This Answer Already Liked This Answer Thank you, this item will be reviewed. What are the best ways for students with disabilities to find the right college? When advising students with learning disabilities, I first ask them to identify what attributes they want in a college (i.e. geographic region, size, etc.). Once the type of college is identified, the student should directly contact that college's support services department. This allows the student to find out what is offered and whether or not the student would feel comfortable with that college's program. Students should keep in mind that not all programs are equally as strong, with some colleges having virtually no services. Also remember to ask what services the college offers LD students, and how successful the students in the program have been. I would also advise visiting the colleges and meeting with the director of the college's disability services. I cannot stress enough how important it is for students to have direct contact with each college. The best college for a student with a disability is to simply identify what colleges they are interested in, and find out if each one has a program that will meet their needs. It is basically the same process as any other student, but each student must do some additional follow-up. 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