The Application Process: Finding a School

Everyone seems to want to know - Which colleges are the BEST? The best college is the one that is best for you!

The best college for you will likely be very different than the best college for someone else. There are so many highly personal factors to consider, and most of these are not measurable in ways that sell magazines. College rankings exist and abound, but do not give them too much importance.

Looking for the right college:

Does the school have the things you're looking for?
- Size, location
- Program of study, level of academic pressure/rigor
- Balance between academics and social life, the "feel" of the campus, extra-curricular and social activities (sports, arts, and Greek life, etc)
- Faculty (ratio to students, quality, availability, how many classes are taught by TA's?)
- Housing
- Cost of attendance and availability of financial aid for you
- Special facilities or services for your own needs?
Is the school accredited? Is the program of study that you want accredited? In some cases, the strength of the program can be evaluated by whether they offer bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. programs in your field of study.
What degrees are available?

THOSE are the things you should focus on. The rankings are not like Consumer Reports... the quality of a college just can't be measured that way. Think for yourself... this is a personal decision and a personalized process.

Websites about rankings that you may want to check out:
http://www.educationconservancy.org/presidents_letter.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marty-kaplan/reaming-college-rankings_b_52995.html

There are some mistakes that you should try to avoid...
- Choosing a college for its prestigious name, without finding out if it's the right fit for you.
- Choosing a college because someone else goes there and he/she likes it.
- Choosing a college because your friends are going to apply there.

Finding your School

There are many tools for searching for universities on the Internet. Below is a list of sites that will be useful for university searches.

www.collegesofdistinction.com This a listing of colleges that are well recognized by educational professionals as providing an excellent undergraduate education, along with innovative teaching, a high quality residential environment, and wide recognition among graduate schools and employers. The schools are organized by region or state within the US.
U.S. News and World Report publishes an annual ranking of more than 1,400 U.S. universities. You can see the summary rankings for 2010 for free or can purchase the complete, electronic, searchable edition.

Schools in Canada The Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada website provides a comprehensive list of Canadian schools with detailed profiles and includes a search engine. Maclean`s magazine rates Canadian universities every year. Additionally, this website provides good information on options in Canada: www.studyincanada.com

Schools in Mexico Anuies, the Asociación Nacional de Universidades e Instituciones de Educación Superior, provides a state-by state listing of affiliated Mexican universities as well as a catalog of careers (Licenciatura y Posgrado) in Mexico. Universia.net provides a fairly comprehensive listing of universities in Mexico.

www.braintrack.com International listings by country, a very comprehensive listing of colleges and universities throughout the world.

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/csearch/index.html This webpage offers a "College Matchmaker" which asks you some questions, and then gives you a list of colleges that might be a good match for you.

http://www.princetonreview.com/ This website asks you some questions about your college preferences, and then gives you a list of colleges that might be a good match for you based on that data. They offer interesting data about each college, both from the school and from the students. If you find a school that you really like, click on "other schools to consider," and you'll find more.

https://studentaid2.ed.gov/gotocollege/collegefinder/advanced_find.asp
Federal Student Aid College Finder - a division of the US Department of Education. This is another college finding service that asks you questions and then gives you a list of possible college matches. This site also has good information for international students, and also about financial aid.

www.collegedata.com/ This website offers a college matchmaker, and a number of interesting features that appear to be unique. You can calculate your chances of getting in to a particular college; you can also use the admission tracker to see sample students and whether they got in. There are also financial aid resources.

http://www.clas.ufl.edu/au/ Website for All Universities/Colleges in the USA

https://quickstart.collegeboard.com

www.nycareerzone.org

www.collegeview.com

Application Procedures

Application procedures vary enormously by country and school and are explained at each school’s website. Almost 300 U.S. colleges and universities use the Common Application, which can be filled out online. You can download and print a paper copy to use as a rough draft. There is a list of participating institutions on the website. www.commonapp.org

Some of you will decide that you want to apply to colleges in Mexico, some will apply outside of Mexico, and some will do both. The reality is that applying to colleges in Mexico is a simpler process, and will require somewhat less support that applying to schools in the US or other countries. If you decide that the TEC, UDEM, or another school in Mexico is the right school for you, you probably won't need as much help with the application process as the students who apply outside of Mexico.

International American School - English / Spanish Junior High and High School in Cancun, Mexico

The Application Process: Finding a School

Finding your School

Application Procedures