Reprinted from Pittsburgh Magazine, September 2018 COLLEGE GUIDE Students on Grove City’s campus. VISIT THE CAMPUSES OF THE TOP SCHOOLS THEY ARE INTERESTED IN ATTENDING. AT DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY, STUDENTS OFTEN SAY THAT ONCE THEY GOT TO CAMPUS, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MOST WHETHER FOR A TOUR OR AN OPEN HOUSE EVENT, THEY JUST KNEW IT WAS WHERE THEY WERE PERTINENT STEPS MEANT TO BE. A CAMPUS VISIT WILL GO A LONG A HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENT WAY IN HELPING HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS MAKE THE BIG COLLEGE DECISION WITH CONFIDENCE.” NEEDS TO TAKE WHEN — DUQUESNE UNIVERSITY PREPARING FOR Start ? Plan ahead thinking COLLEGE “and have fun! about your Don’t wait until your senior year future — and of high school potential college As high school HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS SHOULD BEGIN THE PROCESS OF to plan for your choices — early students move COLLEGE PREPARATION EARLY TO MAXIMIZE THEIR OPPORTUNITIES college career. in your high Start going to through the college FOR GETTING INTO AND AFFORDING THEIR COLLEGE OF school career. college fairs your search process, it CHOICE. THIS MEANS REGISTERING FOR THE SAT OR ACT EARLY, Take challenging is best for them to sophomore year TAKING ADVANTAGE OF EARLY APPLICATION DATES, AND to see what is out courses and take relax, be honest and them seriously. most importantly, be EARNING FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE BY APPLYING FOR THE MANY there. Not only will this result Work a part- themselves. Once a SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE OR THROUGH MICRO-SCHOLARSHIPS in less stressful time job or high school student AWARDED FOR THEIR ACTIVITIES IN HIGH SCHOOL. ALONG WITH GOOD GRADES, STUDENTS SHOULD TAKE ON LEADERSHIP ROLES junior and senior get involved starts identifying which years, it will get colleges spark their AND BE ACTIVE IN A GOOD CHURCH TO DEVELOP TRAITS OF SELF- in something you excited and outside of the interest, they should DISCIPLINE, SELFLESSNESS AND MATURITY. motivate you to start thinking about — GENEVA COLLEGE do your best in classroom. scheduling a visit. high school.” It helps you When visiting a school — CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY build tangible make sure to tour the OF PENNSYLVANIA skills like time campus, talk to people management that and try the food. If will benefit you in you think you will be college, but also spending a lot of time in a particular building can help you to Colleges are interested in your academic or area, be sure to Don’t become a more rigor — a challenging curriculum and check it out during underestimate well-rounded strong grades. Highlight your curiosity your visit! If possible, the value of a individual. and willingness to challenge yourself when it comes meet with an admission campus visit, Colleges and to course selection. Take an active role in and out of counselor. Counselors speak with universities want current college the classroom and demonstrate a strong commitment are a valuable resource students for an to school and community activities that match your students who during the college inside look into passions. Visit your high school guidance/college will succeed but search as they are the their experience counseling office early and often — take advantage also contribute ones who can answer and finish a of any test preparation or scholarship resources to their campus questions regarding challenging senior they offer.” the school and the year curriculum community.” — WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE — CARLOW UNIVERSITY admission process.” strong — sprint — ALLEGHENY COLLEGE through the tape!” — SLIPPERY ROCK UNIVERSITY 2 pittsburghmagazine.com THE BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT THE COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS IS THAT IT STARTS JUNIOR YEAR, WHEREAS IT REALLY BEGINS WHEN YOU STEP INTO FRESHMAN YEAR. FROM THE COURSES YOU TAKE TO THE ACTIVITIES AND PASSIONS YOU PURSUE, YOU’RE CRAFTING YOUR NARRATIVE WELL BEFORE YOU Do your research SEND A COLLEGE YOUR TRANSCRIPT AND RESUME. WHILE TAKING — online tools make this easier than A WELL-ROUNDED CURRICULUM IS IMPORTANT TO PREPARE The search for the right college is ever. Which institutions an exciting time for families. High FOR COLLEGE, BE SURE TO CHALLENGE YOURSELF IN KEY AREAS have my major, my school juniors and seniors are visiting THAT MAY ALIGN WITH YOUR FUTURE MAJOR. DETERMINE WHAT sport, my activities, FACTORS ARE NON-NEGOTIABLE BUT HAVE AN OPEN MIND AND new places, meeting new people and taking part in a decision that could change opportunities for VISIT DIFFERENT TYPES OF SCHOOLS TO FIND THE RIGHT “FIT.” the trajectory of their life. That can sound research, interning DO YOUR RESEARCH. PREPARE A CHART FOR EACH COLLEGE AND intimidating, but focusing on essentials or studying abroad? TIMELINE OF APPLICATION, SCHOLARSHIP AND FINANCIAL AID can simplify the process. A visit to campus What is the actual cost DEADLINES SO YOU CAN SET REALISTIC GOALS AND DON’T MISS will give you a chance to see if the college after all financial aid and the setting are the right fits.” is applied? What are ANY OPPORTUNITIES. — THIEL COLLEGE — GROVE CITY COLLEGE the housing options for freshmen? What are the food plan options? How many students are there? BY THEIR What is the average When preparing for college, the most important question to ask JUNIOR class size? Can I apply yourself is: What is best for you as a student? In other words, choose for free? When do I YEAR, STUDENTS a school that aligns with your personality, interests and academic have to make my final SHOULD ESTABLISH or career goals. The easiest way to narrow your college search is decision? Who advises CRITERIA FOR THEIR by ranking your priorities. Consider whether you prefer a small freshmen? Then, narrow or large campus, a private or public school, an urban or suburban it down to a handful and SEARCH AND BEGIN environment and how far you want to be from home. The best fit may plan a visit. You need RESEARCHING AND be a school you never heard of, or it could be right in your hometown. to go and look around for yourself. You need VISITING SCHOOLS, Visit each college more than once to determine whether you can imagine yourself as a student on that campus. Also, all students to ask yourself, can I see myself here? Are the TAKING THE SAT AND/ should apply for financial aid. Some families don’t apply because they people friendly? Is the OR ACT, AND LOOKING think they will not qualify. Students need to apply for financial aid by campus well-maintained? AT ALL OF THE the deadline. Filing the application late may cause the student to lose Is the campus safe and OPTIONS REGARDING out on aid that they might have otherwise received.” in a safe location?” — LA ROCHE COLLEGE — UNIVERSITY OF PITTSBURGH FINANCIAL AID. AT BRADFORD DURING THE SENIOR YEAR, FILING THE FAFSA, SENDING HIGH Our admission staff encourages HIGH-SCHOOL STUDENTS SHOULD START RESEARCHING high school students to enroll SCHOOL TRANSCRIPTS CAREER PATHS AND COLLEGE MAJORS AND VISITING in college prep curriculum, take AND SUBMITTING CAMPUSES EARLY IN THEIR COLLEGE SEARCH PROCESS. the ACT and/or the SAT, explore APPLICATIONS ARE DURING THEIR CAMPUS VISIT, STUDENTS SHOULD PLAN career interests through job shadow experiences, participate in community THE FINAL STEPS TO TO MEET WITH A FACULTY MEMBER AND INTERACT WITH CURRENT STUDENTS. STUDENTS SHOULD ALSO CONTINUE TO service and outreach, conduct comprehensive scholarship searches, THAT ALL-IMPORTANT TAKE CHALLENGING CLASSES THROUGH THEIR SENIOR YEAR visit college campuses to connect with COLLEGE DECISION.” OF HIGH SCHOOL TO ENSURE THEY ARE PREPARED FOR THE admission counselors and current — SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE RIGOROUS COLLEGE CURRICULUM. students, discuss college choices with — WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY high school guidance counselors and identify mentors and teachers who can write your letters of recommendation.” — URSULINE COLLEGE September 2018 3 Our campus is beautiful and our faculty and staff really care about our students. WHY SHOULD POTENTIAL Small-school feel with big opportunities! Cal U STUDENTS CHOOSE YOUR is the perfect place for students to find their ? strengths and passions SCHOOL and forge their futures.” — CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA ALLEGHENY IS AN We live in a dynamic world with uncertainty about the future. At EXCEPTIONAL INSTITUTION, Geneva College, we prepare students well for the jobs of today but SO THERE ARE NUMEROUS also for their next job and the unknown challenges to come. Our REASONS TO PURSUE AN vocational focus in the context of a liberal arts education emphasizes integration SAINT VINCENT of Christian principles into all aspects of life to develop workers and citizens UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION COLLEGE OFFERS who are valued by employers, families, churches and communities, leading to HERE. THE REALITY IS THAT CHALLENGING meaningful careers and lives.” EVERY STUDENT IS UNIQUE, — GENEVA COLLEGE ACADEMICS AND HELPS SO EACH STUDENT WILL TO MAKE A HIGH-QUALITY HAVE THEIR OWN SET OF COLLEGE EXPERIENCE REASONS WHY ALLEGHENY AFFORDABLE THROUGH IS AN APPROPRIATE FIT. WE GENEROUS SCHOLARSHIPS PRIDE OURSELVES ON OUR AND FINANCIAL AID. OUR UNUSUAL COMBINATIONS THERE’S ONE DISTINCT FACTOR IN Slippery Rock STUDENTS SUCCEED: 97 AND WILLINGNESS TO WAYNESBURG’S EDUCATION THAT PERCENT OF OUR 2017 SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS; “University GRADUATES TOLD US partners with SETS ITSELF APART FROM THE COMPETITION: OUR GRADUATES COME you to provide THEY ARE EMPLOYED OUT EXCEPTIONALLY WELL the education RELATIONSHIPS.” IN THEIR FIELDS OR IN PREPARED TO HEAD INTO THE and experience — WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL. BUT WORKFORCE, PARTICIPATE you need SAINT VINCENT OFFERS IN SERVICE PROGRAMS OR to achieve a THIEL COLLEGE OFFERS NEW PROGRAMS IN EXERCISE SCIENCE, PURSUE FURTHER EDUCATION. leadership HEALTH SYSTEMS, SPORTS MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SOMETHING NO ONE ELSE position in your ABOUT 95 PERCENT OF SAFETY MANAGEMENT. THESE NEW PROGRAMS ARE PART OF A CAN: OUR STUDENTS desired field, but ROBUST CURRICULUM THAT OFFERS 60 MAJORS AND MINORS.