Tips For Choosing A School - Part II

Academic Attributes To Consider
Rather than look at commercial rankings that may not measure what you want,
think about what will make you successful in the classroom, such as these various
elements:

Teaching – Find out things about the faculty. Are they there because they want
to teach or because they want to write and do research? Will you have graduate
assistants or full-time professors? If you need to discuss something with them, will
your faculty be accessible to you?

Class Size & Teacher To Student Interaction – What are your options for courses?
Will you only take huge lecture classes or, if you prefer, will you have the opportunity
for smaller courses? If it’s important to you that your teachers know you and notice
how you’re doing in the class, try observing a class in session and try to evaluate the
faculty/student interaction.

Retention – What is the freshman retention rate? What is the transfer rate, i.e. are
students happy to attend this school? What percent return for the second year?
What was the college GPA for last year’s freshman class? How many students
graduate within 4 years or 5 years? Learn about the career placement office and ask
for facts and figures about what students do after they leave the college.

Grading – Ask current students about what kinds of attributes for grading are
typically used in the classroom. Are there mostly objective tests or are there ample
chances for group collaboration and projects. Will you get experience doing class
presentations and is class discussion both encouraged and active? How often will
you get feedback on your course progress? How much writing will you be required
to do?

Academic Requirements – Known as core requirements, gen-eds (general
education), distribution requirements, etc. These are the classes or categories of
classes that you will have to take in order to graduate, regardless of your major. Learn
about the core course requirements and learn how current students feel about them.
Are the selections interesting and worthwhile or are they a drudgery? Check out the
math and foreign language requirements, especially as these tend to vary greatly.
Teacher To Student Ratio – This number can be misleading and easily manipulated
but you should consider the accessibility and availability of faculty members. Ask
your tour guide, friends you know at the school, or even complete strangers the size
of his/her largest and smallest classes during the first year and later years. Then think
about what environment is best for you.

Academic Services – Find out about academic services. What if you need extra
help? Are tutors/help centers available to everyone? If you’re undecided about a
major, what assistance does the college provide? If you have personal or health
problems, are there accessible services for students?

Major/Minor Offerings – If you change your mind about majoring in chemical
engineering, will there be other options available to you? Are there numerous areas
of academic study? For what is the school well known?

Class Offerings – Read the course listings, often available online. Would you have
enough options in course selection?

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