How do I Create a College List?
In your senior year, you should have a good sense of the colleges you'd like to apply to. Your college list should reflect your academic record firstly. This means that it is based upon multiple factors, such as your GPA, SAT/ACT score, extracurricular activities, course rigor, essays, and other things that should be considered when making a college list. But you must always RESEARCH, RESEARCH, and RESEARCH to generate a coherent college list that speaks to your interests and your current student profile. A method that is very useful to apply to multiple of the following schools is listed below:
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs):
These colleges were created when African-American students were legally denied access to most other institutions of higher education. Now, these colleges celebrate African-American culture and empowerment, and give black students the chance to experience an educational community in which they are finally part of the majority.
Examples:
• Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science*- Los Angeles
• University of the District of Columbia
• Howard University
• Florida A&M University- Tallahassee
• Fort Valley State University- Fort Valley
• Southern University New Orleans- New Orleans
• Bennett College- Greensboro
List of HBCUs By State
Women’s Colleges:
These colleges offer women the opportunity to enjoy a learning community where they are in the majority. Additionally, these colleges have a much larger population of female faculty and administrators. Women’s colleges graduate a high number of science majors, as well as students who continue on to graduate school or professional studies. Women’s colleges have a number of leadership and/or mentoring programs specifically designed to give young women hands-on experience in many disciplines. Women’s colleges work hard to create an inspiring, and academically challenging experience for students, which in turn creates a highly supportive network for you to tap into once you leave college. These alumnae networks will especially come in handy when searching for job opportunities.
Examples:
• Smith College
• Mount Holyoke College
• Wellesley College
• Barnard College (Columbia)
• Spelman College
Women's College Coalition
Liberal Arts Colleges
These colleges focus on the education of undergraduate students. Classes tend to be smaller and more personal attention is available. Instead of preparing for a specific career path, students who attend liberal arts colleges are exposed to a broad sampling of classes. More liberal arts college graduates attend graduate school than other students, due to their experience in thinking critically and engaging in academically rewarding experiences.
Examples:
Amherst College
Bowdoin College
University of Chicago
Williams College
Liberal Art Colleges in The U.S
- “Likely”(Safety) schools = A student’s academic profile is significantly stronger than the middle 50 percent of students who are typically admitted. A safety school is a college that you're pretty much guaranteed to get into. Your GPA should be well above the average student's at that school, and your SAT or ACT score should be above the 75th percentile for that school.
- “Target”(Match) schools = A target college is one in which your academic credentials make you competitive for admission. Your GPA, standardized test scores, and class rank fall within the average range for that particular school. You have a very reasonable chance of gaining admission to a target school, but there are no guarantees.
- “Reach”(Dream) schools = A reach school is a college that is unlikely to offer you admission. A particular college qualifies as a reach school for you if your high school GPA and standardized test scores are significantly below those of the college's average student. Also, selective universities should such as MIT, Stanford, and Ivy League colleges are reach schools for everyone.
Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs):
These colleges were created when African-American students were legally denied access to most other institutions of higher education. Now, these colleges celebrate African-American culture and empowerment, and give black students the chance to experience an educational community in which they are finally part of the majority.
Examples:
• Charles Drew University of Medicine & Science*- Los Angeles
• University of the District of Columbia
• Howard University
• Florida A&M University- Tallahassee
• Fort Valley State University- Fort Valley
• Southern University New Orleans- New Orleans
• Bennett College- Greensboro
List of HBCUs By State
Women’s Colleges:
These colleges offer women the opportunity to enjoy a learning community where they are in the majority. Additionally, these colleges have a much larger population of female faculty and administrators. Women’s colleges graduate a high number of science majors, as well as students who continue on to graduate school or professional studies. Women’s colleges have a number of leadership and/or mentoring programs specifically designed to give young women hands-on experience in many disciplines. Women’s colleges work hard to create an inspiring, and academically challenging experience for students, which in turn creates a highly supportive network for you to tap into once you leave college. These alumnae networks will especially come in handy when searching for job opportunities.
Examples:
• Smith College
• Mount Holyoke College
• Wellesley College
• Barnard College (Columbia)
• Spelman College
Women's College Coalition
Liberal Arts Colleges
These colleges focus on the education of undergraduate students. Classes tend to be smaller and more personal attention is available. Instead of preparing for a specific career path, students who attend liberal arts colleges are exposed to a broad sampling of classes. More liberal arts college graduates attend graduate school than other students, due to their experience in thinking critically and engaging in academically rewarding experiences.
Examples:
Amherst College
Bowdoin College
University of Chicago
Williams College
Liberal Art Colleges in The U.S
Fit Factors:
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When narrowing down your list of colleges, it is imperative that you look at a wide set of criteria that may impact your overall college experience. In order to find colleges that are also good fits for you, you first need to figure out what characteristics or attributes you are looking for in your college--in other words "what you are looking to get out of your college experience"?
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Experiential
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Student Support Services
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Academics
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Social Atmosphere
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Location
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Size
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Diversity
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Research Questions!
*Please keep these questions in mind when you are drafting your college lists!
Size and Location
- How big is the college/university? Is it an urban or rural setting?
- What is the surrounding environment like? How far is the college/university from my home?
- How many undergraduate vs. graduate students
- Is the campus isolated or is within a city or town
Academics
- What academic programs are offered in my preliminary areas of interests
- What are the graduation requirements(Is there a core curriculum? Distribution Requirement? No Requirements?)
- What sort of pre-professional preparation is offered(majors, minors, and etc.)
- What is the student to faculty ratio
- Can I switch majors? Can I double major?
- Is this institution a small liberal arts college or a large research institution. If small, are there outside resources to which I have access to. If large, is there a support system in place to help navigate a large university
Social and Extracurricular Life
- What extracurricular activities are offered in my areas of interests
- If I am an athlete or musician, are there are opportunities for me to continue doing what I love(music symphonies, varsity level)
- What is the social scene like? Is it dominated by particular groups( i.e. fraternities or sororities)? Do most students stay on campus during the weekends?
- What are the housing options? (Freshman dorms)?
- What percentage of students live on camps for all four years? (Is housing guaranteed for all four years)?
Financial Aid
- Does this particular college/university practice need blind or need aware admissions(please reference Essential College Terminology if you do not understand these terms!)
- Is the Financial aid awarded need based? Are there any merit scholarships available for this particular school?
- What percentage of students receive financial aid packages that meet 100% demonstrated need? (If your school is need blind)
Unique Traits
- Are there any unique traditions that this school is known for?
- For what is this college or university renowned as?
- Are there certain programs, resources, and opportunities unique to the schools that are of particular interest to me?
Helpful Resource:
- College Applications and Scholarship Organizer
- Naviance SuperMatch College Search Tool
- BigFuture College Search (College Board)