SOURCES OF INFORMATION ON COLLEGES


There are many sources of information on colleges of which you should take advantage.  The type of information available from these different sources is as varied as the sources themselves.  Do your college investigation homework with the help of the following:


Alumni -- Information from people who have already graduated from a college is obviously not as current as that from a student attending now, but alumni are nevertheless a valuable source of information about a college.

College admission publications -- Colleges and universities spend millions of dollars each year on the production of literature designed to inform you and educate you about their institutions.  WCHS has catalogs and viewbooks from several hundred schools available for your perusal.  College catalogs are not very interesting books, but they do contain some information you might find helpful.  Included in them are academic and student life policies, requirements for degrees in all of the departments at that school, a listing and description of all of the courses offered, and a listing of the faculty members.  The viewbooks are the slick and photo-filled marketing tools which are designed to show you what the campus is really like.  The text is brief, but most viewbooks list programs available at the school as well as its activities and organizations.  They also contain practical information on the admission procedure, as well as financial aid information.  Many viewbooks have applications inserted in them.

Writing for your own information -- If you have not already, you will be receiving literature from many colleges and universities who have purchased your name and address from any one of a number of sources.  Chances are, however, there are schools about which you will want to learn more, but for which you have no information of your own.  More and more students are using e-mail to communicate directly with colleges, and through your internet access at school or at home, you can do the same. 

Guidebooks -- There are probably a couple of dozen college guidebooks available at bookstores.  The College Counseling Office has most titles available for your use.  The guidebooks fall into two main categories: objective or comparative guides, and subjective or ranking guides. The first type includes such books as those published by Peterson's, Barron's, Lovejoy's, Arco, and the College Handbook by the College Board.  Most of the information included in these guides was obtained directly by the publishers from the admission offices.  They provide quick-reference information and a lot of statistics.  Be careful!  Statistics can be manipulated to suit the needs of the person or institution presenting them.  The subjective guides include those by Fiske, the Yale Daily News, Gourman, Rugg, William Buckley, Princeton Review, and Kaplan. When reading these guides and reviewing the manner in which they rate various aspects of the institutions they are discussing, keep in mind that you are reading the opinions of only a few people.  On the other hand, even though the information will be two or three years old, it is possible to read several such descriptions and put together a good idea of what life at the school might be like. 

World Wide Web and Internet --  Most colleges and universities have home pages on the World Wide Web.  What you will find on the pages will vary greatly from college to college, but typically you will find the most current and detailed information available about the school and its application procedures.  Some sites include "virtual" tours, and others allow you to apply electronically to the institution.  Most sites have some sort of e-mail link to communicate directly with the admission office. 

Videos and CD-ROMs --  Although most colleges are now investing more in their web pages, many have produced videos and CD-ROMs for admission office use.  Some schools will automatically send you a copy of their video or CD-ROM if you are on their mailing list; others will send you one if you request it.  Some may charge for their videos, and there are a few companies which specialize in producing college videos and selling them to prospective applicants.  WCHS has a collection of CD-ROMs.   It is small but growing.

Campus visits -- Before you become too serious about attending any school, it is very important that you spend some time there to "get a feel for the place."  Spring break, summer vacation, and weekends are good times for you to visit campuses, and you should do so with your family at those times.  All admission offices offer campus tours and information sessions for prospective students.  You should try to revisit those schools in which you are most interested, however, at a time when classes are in session.  Most college admission offices will help arrange for you to spend a night in a dorm, attend classes, and eat in the cafeteria. Things to look for and questions to ask:   How large are the freshman classes? Do you like the food?  the dorms?  What information can you learn from the flyers posted around campus?  the school newspaper? How are people dressed?  How far do you have to walk to get to classes?  Do the people walking around look happy?  Visit campuses with a critical eye and do your homework on the school before you go. 

Interested?   A word about the amount of interest you show in a college:  Just about every college will keep track of how much interest you are showing in that school.  They know how many times you have requested information in writing or by phone, they know if you spoke with a representative at a college fair or at a meeting at Prep, and they know if you have been on campus and had an interview.  Regardless of how many times you have been asked to complete an information card for an admission office –on that campus or elsewhere–do it again. Also, remember that the more personal you can make the process, the better it can work in your favor.  Get to know someone in the admission office–that person could be an important advocate for you later.