This section of the Handbook will give you valuable advice in the selection of the college you would like to attend.
| Enrollment |
Total. Percentage of undergraduate students. Freshman class size. |
| Retention |
Percent of freshmen who graduate. |
| Background |
Male/female ratio. Percent of commuter/resident. Geographic origin. Percent of minority. Percent with financial aid. |
| Location |
Geographic region. Distance from home. Travel costs and convenience. |
| Setting |
Urban/rural. Weather. Nearest city or countryside. Recreational opportunities. |
| Facilities |
Library. Laboratories. Studies and practice rooms. Fine Arts. Sports. Student Center |
| Type |
Four year. Church/state/private control. College/university. |
| Purpose |
Liberal Arts. Pre-professional for business, education, engineering, fine arts, etc. Technical or vocational institute. Degrees offered. |
| Philosophy |
Traditional/experimental. Deeply scholarly/career-oriented. Comprehensive. |
| Calendar |
Semester/trimester/quarter/module. Interim program. Acceleration. |
| Academic Requirements |
Proportion of study devoted to general education, concentration, electives. Required freshmen courses or curriculum/distribution requirements in curricular areas/elective curriculum. |
| Academic Offerings |
Majors offered in your areas of interest. Breadth and depth of courses offered in your areas of interest. Inter-disciplinary course and majors. Strong departments. |
| Independent Study |
Individual tutorials. Seminars. Research opportunities. |
| Special Study Programs |
Field work. Internships. Exchange programs. Foreign study, joint degree programs. Cooperative work/study plan. Pre-professional programs. |
| Standards |
Accreditation. Degree requirements. Grading systems. Grade/distribution. Honor system. |
| Course Descriptions |
Introductory/advanced/specialized courses. Courses for majors/non-majors. Number of courses required for major. |
| Deadlines |
Application. Notification of decision. Reply to offer of admission. |
| Application Requirements |
Fee. Information forms. Specific high school courses. Transcripts. Secondary School Report. Recommendations. Interview. |
| CEEB or ACT Tests Required |
SAT/ACT. Which CEEB Subject Tests? |
| Admissions Selectivity |
Percentage of applicants offered admission. Rating of most competitive/ highly competitive/competitive. Average SAT/ACT scores of freshmen. Freshman class profile. |
| Faculty |
Percent with Ph.D's. Original faculty research/scholarship. Teaching course load. Expectations for teaching/scholarship/ advising and other college services. Emphasis on undergraduate teaching and learning. |
| Faculty-Student Relationships |
Faculty-student ratio. Advising. Accessibility for conferences, assistance. Departmental clubs, colloquia, committees with student representatives. Class size. Average. Classes under 20 students/over 50 students. Opportunities for discussion/student presentation/exchange of ideas. |
| Academic Demands |
Workload Course expectations. Types of assignments. Academic pressure/competition. |
| Intellectual Vitality |
Student attitude toward learning. Flexibility/Structure for study. Exchange of ideas. Interest in political, social, or world issues. |
| Career Preparation |
Pre-professional programs. Career advising and information programs. Percentage who go on to graduate school. Graduate school and job placement. |
| Type of Student |
Diversity and tolerance of differences. Importance of money/material possessions/social appearances. |
| Community Type |
Homogeneous. Pluralistic. Cohesive. Fragmented. School spirit. Controversial campus issues. Liberal/Directive/Restrictive social regulations. |
| Living Arrangements |
Predominately large dorms/housing clusters/small houses. Availability of single rooms/doubles/suites/multiple rooms.System of housing location/roommate selection.Centralized/decentralized dining. Alternative dining programs. |
| Campus Activities |
Activities related to your interests. Emphasis on social life, fraternities, sports, or other dominant interests. Clubs and organizations traditional/creative/competitive issue?oriented. Presence of religious, ethnic, or cultural groups. Cultural opportunities on campus or in community. Focus of social life on campus/fraternities/community/other college campus/home. |
| Costs |
Minimum-Maximum total costs per year. Student budget for tuition and fees/room and board/books and personal expenses/travel costs. Admission and enrollment fees. |
| Family Resources |
Family contribution toward college expenses? Your earnings and savings. |
| Awards |
Percentage of students receiving aid. Range of awards. Average award. |
| Financial Aid |
Based on need/merit/funds available. Loan and job expectations. |
| Application |
Federal/state/college forms required. |
Know Yourself. You will find the questions and criteria on this website very useful in this quest. Ask yourself questions; answer them honestly; don't kid yourself.
Decide what you want in a college. Pay particular attention to the size and location of the institutions. Consider your particular needs or interests. For example,is it important to have internships or a cooperative work/study program? Also, give serious thought to the family budget. Will it withstand the strain of costs totaling $18,000-$22,000 or more per year, in the case of some private colleges? Talk to your parents about financial aid.
- Ascertain which schools meet YOUR criteria.
Talk frequently to your counselor, who will make many suggestions.
- Write early for information about each of the colleges on your list.
- Read this material, take some notes, and decide whether to keep a particular college on the list. (Remember that college literature is promotional, i.e. designed to attract students.)
- Talk to people who may have had experience with one or more schools: faculty, friends, family, Hill-Murray alumni currently attending college.
- Attend meetings conducted at Hill-Murray by college representatives. Nearly 100 colleges send representatives each year. Attend College Fairs.
- Visit one or more of the colleges on your list. Remember that you can get an understanding of size by visiting campuses or institutions in or near the Twin Cities.
- Try to determine if you meet THEIR criteria.
Have you demonstrated that you can do the kind of academic work each college demands of its students? The counselors will be able to give you the benefit of their experience with specific schools.
- Although test scores are only one factor in the selection process, they do count. Are your scores within the range presented by most successful candidates to a particular college? If not, are you being realistic?
- Do you think you have some special talent or interest that will supplement a solid academic record and enhance your candidacy? Do you play a musical instrument? Are you involved in community service? What have you done at Hill-Murray besides attending classes?
Campus Visits: There is no substitute for seeing a college for yourself. Click here great tips and strategies for visiting a college campus http://www.acm.edu/admiss/campusvisits.pdf
- Don't apply to a dozen colleges. You should apply to no more than three schools unless there are very unusual circumstances. You should have at least one - preferably two - where you and your counselors are reasonably confident of acceptance. You must like your schools. You may want to include one that seems to be a "reach" given your record of grades, scores, and activities. It is imperative to be very serious in the selection of schools for your final list. Do not be led astray by the supposed prestige of a school or its popularity with other members of your class. There are not "best" colleges. There are only colleges appropriate for you.
Admissions officers consider these factors in roughly the following order of importance:
Class rank
- ACT/SAT I scores
- Grade Point Average/Difficulty of Curriculum
- Application essays
- Extracurricular activities
- Recommendations
- Interviews
- Intangibles
Of course, every college is different. The larger the school, the less time it has to spend with your application (sometimes less than five minutes). Big state schools rarely reach number three on this list. Small schools may look past weak grades or test scores if they see something special about you.
So, your child is going off to college. This is a huge step for both of you, and you want to be sure your son or daughter chooses the "right" school. One concern that may not occur to your son or daughter is "what is the alcohol or other drug scene on campus?"
Sixty percent of college students report having had sleep or study interrupted by other students who have had too much to drink. Fifty-four percent of college students report having had to take care of a drunken student. Twenty percent of female college students report having experienced an unwanted sexual advance, and 14% of college students report having had property damaged by drunken students.
How can you tell whether a particular college is one where weekend alcohol-fueled partying regularly begins on Thursday night? Or where attendance is poor at Monday morning classes because too many students are hung over? There are three steps that you can take; 1) visit campus, 2) ask questions, and 3) talk with your son or daughter.
Visit Campus
A visit to campus is one of the best ways to find out about the alcohol and other drug scene. Be sure to discuss your concerns with your son or daughter before the visit. Help him or her understand why this issue is important.
Talk to current students and residence hall advisors. Ask what students do for fun on campus. Do many students participate in community service activities? (Participation in community service is a good sign)
Check out bulletin boards and campus newspapers. Look for mention of alcohol and other drugs in notices, ads, articles, editorials, and letters to the editor.
Wander through the residence halls. Notice how students decorate their rooms. Are there many alcohol-related posters or pyramids of beer cans? Are trash cans filled with beer cans or bottles?
Walk through the commercial neighborhoods near campus. Do bars and liquor stores seem to target students? Do they offer low-price "specials" that encourage drinking?
Ask Questions
- Does the college have a clearly defined alcohol and other drug policy? What is it? What are the consequences for infractions?
- Will the administration inform parents if a student is disciplined or arrested for alcohol or other drug related infractions, or hospitalized for drug or alcohol use?
- What training and inclination do resident advisors have in identifying and helping students who may have alcohol or other drug problems?
Talk with your son or daughter
Campus climate is important, but ultimately it is up to your son or daughter to make responsible choices. Studies show that parents remain a key influence on college students. Your opinions and guidance make a difference.
Listen. You won't get far by lecturing. Ask your child to talk about alcohol and other drugs. Find out what concerns he or she has.
Make your expectations clear. College is a huge investment in time and money. Set clear expectations that your son or daughter will focus on academic work and personal development. Make it clear that you don't condone underage consumption.
Offer information. Alcohol is toxic. Far too many students die every year from alcohol poisoning. Discourage dangerous drinking such as drinking games or fraternity or athletics hazing. Encourage your son or daughter to have the courage to intervene when others are engaged in dangerous drinking.
Be a good role model. Consider how your attitudes and actions may be shaping your son or daughter's choice about whether and/or how to consume alcohol or other drugs.