本月小贴士:编制大学名单

有这么多选择，除以4,000, 如果你在数数——列出申请的大学名单, 可能是压倒性的. Add to that the sheer volume of information and advice flooding your brains and inboxes, 和良好的, 我们停下来吧. 关键是，你从哪里开始? 你应该申请几所学校? 哪些标准应该提示你在你的清单上增减? 我要试着让它看起来更容易操作.

If you have not already, check out some of our previous tips on Starting Your College Search.  在第一部分中，我们一头扎进自我反省，而 第2部分 focused on outside factors including connecting with colleges and looping your family into your ideas and plans. Now it’s time to get your pen and paper, or start an Excel sheet, and create 列表. 

• 开始并保持开放的心态: 旅游指南和搜索引擎是很好的开始. There are also websites that recommended schools based on a profile you complete. Don’t keep your search to yourself- talk to people like a guidance counselor, 你最喜欢的老师, 亲戚, 还有可以给你推荐学校的好朋友. 一开始最重要的是要保持开放的心态. Don’t limit your search to name brands or “top-ranked” schools; if someone recommends a name you’ve never heard before, 无论如何都要调查一下. 找出为什么学校被推荐给你. Don’t short-change your college search (or yourself) by counting schools out before you’ve even given them an honest look.

• 给自己设定最后期限: At a certain point, your college search process needs to transition to applications. 起草你的大学申请几乎就像上了一门额外的课, 特别是如果你等到最后一分钟. 10月中下旬是开始这种转变的好时机. 你可能会觉得在那之前你已经完成了你的清单, but keep in mind that the majority of college-rep visits and college fairs happen in September and October. 增加与大学的面对面交流可能会改变现状, 尤其是对于那些正处于风口浪尖的学校. So be open to changes, but be sure to set some guiding dates to keep you ahead of the game.

• 8就够了。 I understand the anxiety that comes with the competitiveness of college admission, but that doesn’t mean it’s wise to apply to as many colleges as humanly possible. We advise students to find colleges that are a good “fit” because many colleges look at this “fit” as they consider students for admission. 看看我之前的博客 寻找合适的更多信息! 现在的问题是，有多少大学真正适合你? 并且给定时间作为限制因素, doesn’t apply to 15-20 colleges while trying to make a strong case for fit seems daunting? 当我很久以前开始找大学的时候, I applied to 5 different schools- all with aspects that fit me in different ways. 作为入学顾问, I think 8 is enough and plenty in terms of trying to craft quality applications. 这不是一个硬性规定，只是我个人的意见. 如果你对少一点或多一点感到舒服，那就去做吧. I ask you simply consider the cost (in terms of time and money) involved in applying to colleges, and ask yourself if you would be excited to enroll at every college on your list. 如果缩小名单范围够难的话, 想想看，当你最终只能选择一个的时候，那会有多困难.

• 研究简介: 他们的学生是谁?? 你怎么符合侧写? Be sure to spend some time with an institution’s profile to better understand who applies and enrolls. 你不仅能深入了解这所大学, 这也有助于你对名单上的大学设定切合实际的期望. During this process, you may hear the terms “target,” “reach,” and “safety” a lot. I tend not to use them, but the guiding principle behind these terms is incredibly helpful. The idea is that you try to collect a range of colleges for your list and not just ones that are say, “高度选择性的.” Because you know, the hardest ones to get into are obviously the best… Sarcasm! 大学录取是不可预测的, so construct a list with a little variety in terms of their profiles for a bit of certainty and control. This hopefully helps ease some of the pressures of this process because if you’re excited about every school on your list including your “safety” schools, 还能发生什么最坏的事呢?

• 实际成本: My biggest concern at this stage is that students won’t even consider schools that they perceive as “too expensive.” DO be aware of cost because it may affect how you apply and definitely where you choose to enroll, 但请理解，标价并不能告诉你一切. 查阅院校净价计算器(这里的净价格资源); look into what scholarships are available; ask what percent of their students receive aid including how much and the makeup of that aid; maybe even make a brief appointment with a financial aid officer during your visit. 你知道的越多，对吧?

• 借鉴同行经验: 和你上大学的老同学保持联系. Even if you don’t know anyone attending any of the schools you’re considering you can still gain insight from their college experience. 上一所比高中小的大学是什么感觉? 上500人的课是什么感觉? 住在这个城市(或另一个城市)感觉如何?? And if you happen to know someone attending one of the schools that you’re considering, make sure to press them for information that you haven’t found in your own research (perception versus experience). College students are most times very honest about their experience (good and/or bad), and getting this info from someone that has come from the same environment as you will be useful in this process.

• 请拜访我们: I’ve had students tell me that they’re putting off college visits until after admission decisions. 我不同意. 我要求你们翻转这个方程. I firmly believe that visiting a campus is the very best way to experience that college and determine if it’s right for you. There really is only so much you can learn from websites and printed publications. I recognize it’s not feasible to visit every school on your list both in terms of time and cost, 尤其是那些离家更远的人, 但参观附近的同类学校仍有帮助. You can at least get a feel for the type of atmosphere that fits you best like small versus large, 城市对郊区或农村, 居住与非居住, 等. 访问ing also equips you with personal experiences on campus that you can reference in your application, 如果拜访不顺利, at least you know better what you’re looking for and what questions to ask during your next visit.

希望这能帮助你组织起来. Make sure to keep an open mind during this process and don’t stress over finding your dream school. When it’s all said and done you will end up at the perfect college for you.