The college search process varies slightly depending on whether you are a high school student entering college right after graduation, or if you are a non-traditional student returning to college several years after finishing high school, obtaining your GED, or having already been to college.

For Traditional Students Entering College Out of High School

You should start your college search sometime in your sophomore or junior year, so you can be prepared when it comes time to apply during your senior year. Completing steps one and two can help you narrow down your choices before you choose which colleges to visit in step three. It is important to have a couple of back up colleges ready in the event that you are not accepted to your first choice school.

For Non-Traditional Students

You should start your college search as soon as you commit to the decision to return to school, whether you are getting your first degree, getting another degree, or returning to finish a degree program. Use steps one and two to help narrow down your choices before visiting campuses in step three. You should have extras on your list in the event you cannot attend your first choice college.

Step One: Learn Admissions Requirements

Every college has its own way of handling admissions. Visiting the college website, or speaking with someone in the admissions department can help you determine:

• Application process and fees
• Financial aid deadlines
• SAT or ACT testing requirements
• GPA requirements
• How admission is determined
• Guidelines for review and acceptance of transfer credit

Step Two: Research College Statistics

It is important to take time to learn more about each college so you can narrow down your choices. Visiting the college website or speaking with an admissions officer can help get your questions answered. Here are a few things you may want to ask:

• What is the tuition for this institution? This helps to determine if you can afford to attend this school.
• What portion of your students receives financial aid? What is the average package offering? This can help you determine whether or not you may be able to afford to attend the institution.
• Are their scholarships available? How do students apply for them? This can help you determine if additional financial support is available to make it possible for you to attend the institution.
• What’s the average student age? This can help you determine if the majority of students are in your age group or not. This is particularly helpful for students who are older and want to have peers their own age.
• What is the student to faculty ratio? This helps you see if there are plenty of teachers to handle your courses, or if your classes will be packed.
• What is the average class size? This is good to know if you are concerned about class sizes being so small everyone knows who you are, or so large you get lost in the crowd.
• What extracurricular activities are available?  If you play sports or are interested in other activities such as drama or art, knowing if these are available at the college can help you narrow down your choices.
• Do most students live on or off campus? This can help you make a decision about your living arrangements while in school.

Step Three: Visit Campuses

Deciding to go to a particular school without seeing the campus is not a wise decision. You are making an investment in your future, and you will spend a lot of time at the school over the next four years. Visiting it beforehand will help you decide whether or not you can live with it until you graduate.

• Speak to the admissions office to schedule a visit to the campus. If you want to sit in on a class or meet with an instructor, let them know now.
• Participate in a student-led tour of the campus.
• Make a list of questions to ask students, admissions officers, teachers, etc.
• Bring a camera, and a notebook. Take pictures and notes about the experience so you can compare each campus.

Using your own metric for what is important to you in a college, you can narrow down your list of 10 or more colleges down to the one you want to go to, and a couple of others you would like to go to if you cannot go to your first choice.

Applying to college can be a stressful undertaking, no matter your age or degree program. Understanding the application process before getting started can help make the entire experience more enjoyable and manageable. After conducting a college search and selecting a list of colleges you would like to apply to, follow these steps to ensure each application is complete and ready for the admissions department.

Complete Your Student Resume

Your student resume should highlight your: academic honors, school clubs and honors, extracurricular activities, leadership positions, volunteer experience, job experience (if any), and traveling experience if you’ve ever traveled for the purpose or learning or to help others.

Register for SAT or ACT Testing

If you are currently a high school student who does not have any sort of SAT or ACT test score, register to take the test of your choosing. Colleges will look at these scores to help determine which general education courses you will be placed in. If you are not a high school student, and you do not already have scores from previously taking the test, colleges have their own placement tests. After you take the test and receive scores, verify that copies of the score reports have also been sent to the colleges you specified.

Choose Your Application Schedule

Colleges accept applications on varying schedules including: early, regular, rolling, or late. We strongly advise you to apply on the early schedule to ensure there is plenty of time if something was left out of the application, or if the institution requires more information.

Print College Applications for All Selected Institutions

Take time to visit the websites of all the colleges you are interested in, and print the application. Take time to verify which standardized tests are required by the college for admission, so you can be sure you’ve taken the correct ones.

Fill Out All Applications By Hand

You likely will not need to send in the paper copies of the applications, but this will prepare you for filling out all the online versions of the applications later. When it comes time to fill out the online applications, all you will have to do is type in your answers, and paste in your essay.

Write, Proofread, and Edit College Essays

Nearly all colleges will ask applicants to write an essay of some sort, so they can gauge writing ability, grammar, and even seriousness about attending college. Don’t use the same essay for each application. Use clear organization, and be sure to stay within your word limit. Check for spelling, grammatical, and typographical errors. Have someone else read the essay to make sure your eyes didn’t miss anything.

Request Copies of Transcripts (High School or College)

Colleges will want to see how well you’ve done in your previous course work, be it from high school or a two-year college. You will need to request formal copies of these transcripts from a school counselor or admissions department. Remember to request at least one copy for each school you are applying to. Also, verify whether they will be sent directly to the schools you are applying to, or if you will receive sealed copies to include with your application.

Ask For and Obtain Letters of Recommendation

Create a list of people you think would be willing to help you with college recommendation letters. The people on this list can be: teachers, counselors, employers, and other adults who know you and your work well. Ask the people on the list if they can write you a letter of recommendation to include with your application materials.

Complete Online Admissions Application

When all the other required information is ready to go, visit the college website and fill out the online application. Have your essay ready to copy and paste into the appropriate location. Pay the necessary application fee online, and print copies of everything before you submit it. Make sure to get a mailing address to send transcripts and letters of recommendation to.

Mail In Required Application Materials

Some application materials, such as your transcripts and letters of recommendation, cannot be included in your online application. If the transcripts and recommendations were not mailed directly to the school on your behalf, you should have them in a sealed envelope from the institution or person who provided them for you, to show that you did not tamper with them.

Sit back, relax, and wait for the acceptance letters to come to you.