February 17, 1999

A step-by-step guide
on how to get into college
___By Carey Newman & Leanne Lewis Newman
___Special Correspondents
___Three aspects are involved in getting into a college or university: (1) choosing the right school, (2) meeting the admission requirements and (3) figuring out how to pay for it.
___The prospect of selecting, getting admitted and paying for college may seem daunting. Yet, millions of students cross this threshold annually.
___ Choosing the school. Choosing a college or university is like finding the right pair of shoes: You may know the style, brand and even size, but you still have to try it on to make sure it fits.
___A fork in the road is faced immediately: Do I attend a public or private school?
___Public universities typically are bigger (15,000 students plus). Public universities will point to their academic prowess, their abilities to place students with employers (many large companies recruit only at large institutions) and the fact that they offer a full range of majors, athletic programs, graduate programs and many other facets that help make the college experience.
___Some students thrive in such an environment. Like New York City, campus life at a large, public university never stops. However, many students who fear feeling "lost" or "just a number" will want to seek a different kind of experience.
___Private colleges and universities are smaller (5,000 students or often much smaller), and typically, but not always, faith-related. Private schools pride themselves on teacher-student ratios and personal attention. They often tout their liberal arts programs (courses in English, history, languages), although many private colleges are organized like larger public universities with professional schools of business, education, music and nursing.
___Many private colleges also sell the idea of values-based education. They have the freedom to include such things as service-learning, chapel attendance or other co-curricular program requirements that develop the whole person, physically, socially, spiritually and intellectually.
___ Choosing the major. A second major fork in the road comes at the point of choosing a major. Often the choice of colleges is narrowed by the choice of majors any one institution offers. If you are one of the fortunate individuals who knows what you plan to major in, the choice may be narrowed immediately.
___However, the vast majority of entering students have yet to decide on a major, so don't worry if you're still undecided. It is not uncommon to change majors several times during the course of a college career.
___ Assessing co-curricular activities. A third "fit" question centers in the types of co-curricular activities in which you may become involved. Does the school have intramural sports? Music groups? Professional or honor organizations? Greek social organizations? Can you live on campus? Must you live on campus?
___Although you are going to college for the formal education, only a small portion of the time will be spent in the classroom. You will want to invest some of your non-studying time in productive activities on campus, especially if you attend a residential college.
___Employers often look as much at extra- or co-curricular activities as they do academic grades. In reality, they typically look for a combination of the two, so don't forget to establish good study habits.
___ Meeting the admissions requirements. You've found the right "institutional fit." Congratu-lations! But your work has only begun. Getting into college is hard work. Look at it like a job.
___It typically takes 20-40 hours to get all the information together, fill out the forms properly and produce any of the essays or request any of the necessary reference letters--for each application. None of this process should be rushed.
___Once you have narrowed your choices to three to five colleges, have them send a full application packet sometime during the spring of your junior year in high school.
___Think about applying to at least three institutions early in the fall of your senior year, even if your heart is set on one. It helps to ensure getting admitted and to avoid having to apply to other schools at the last minute.
___Another issue is ACT/SAT examinations. Be sure you take the exams early and often. Colleges and universities will not admit without the reports of these exams in hand. Further, it is a good idea to take one of the ACT/SAT study courses (yes, it's worth the money).
___Remember: Good grades, good scores and good references will make the process much easier and leave you with the upper hand in bargaining with the institution of choice.
___ Paying for it. And now for the last step. Hopefully you have been saving for years and already have the entire four (or five or six) years of money in hand. This seems unlikely, of course. So how to pay for it?
___ Government money. Rule No. 1: Completely and accurately fill out the Financial Aid Form at your institution of choice as soon as you are accepted. Parents should make sure their taxes are done early in the spring of the junior year.
___Schedule an appointment, either by phone or in person, with a financial aid counselor to make sure you understand all your options for government grants and loans. Don't be afraid to ask questions and to keep asking questions until you understand every aspect of the financial aid process.
___Don't be afraid to take government loans for education; it is always worth it. The interest rates are fair (typically at or below any loan rate available anywhere for anything) and the re-payments don't begin until all education is completed.
___ Scholarship money. Follow Rule No. 1 again. Unlike loans, which are based on need (and must be repaid), scholarships are based upon merit (and thus are "free"). There are three different sources of scholarship money--the school, national/state foundations and local groups.
___At the college or university admissions office and at the financial aid office, ask about scholarships based on grades, activities, major, civic and church organizations. Most schools will have a pre-printed list of all major scholarships. But don't stop there. Go to the department in which you want to major and ask there as well. Also, keep asking and applying for scholarships throughout your college experience.
___Finding out about national/state scholarships is hard work. There are several books (check the public library) which describe every available scholarship, their requirements and their deadlines. Unbelievably, a lot of scholarship monies go unassigned each year simply because no one applied for them.
___Be prepared to spend time researching and applying for these scholarships. It can be well worth it. One of our more entrepreneurial former students actually graduated debt free and with money in the bank because he was persistent in finding and applying for the state and national scholarships.
___Finally, be sure to talk to your high school counselor about any local scholarship opportunities. Call local civic groups and inquire about scholarships. Ask your pastor and local religious leaders about scholarships. You have not because you ask not.
___ Family money. Obviously, it would be nice to have someone else writing the check for college. Write a few letters to family members, especially if they are graduates of the institution. It just may be that Aunt Jane really does want to help.
___Other options for financial assistance can come in the form of campus work-study programs. And, of course, most college communities are supported by local businesses which generally welcome students as their employees.
___Regardless of how you fund your education, it is well worth the price. Not only will you be more "marketable" in the real world, but the education in personal growth is priceless.

Checklist for college-bound students
___ Do the homework. You can't fix a bad grade point average in your senior year.
___ Think about college now. Your sophomore year isn't too early.
___ Apply early.
___ Don't put all your eggs in one university basket. Narrow your choices down to three schools and apply to each.
___ Visit the campus.
___ Talk to people: Your high school admissions counselor, graduates, professors, students.
___ Meet any and all deadlines.
___ Ask questions about everything.


___Carey Newman and Leanne Lewis Newman are Baylor University graduates who current reside in Louisville, Ky. They have a combined experience of more than 20 years in higher education teaching and administration

---

Frontpage / Contents/ Masthead / Why We're Here / Links / Archive / E-mail us/ SUBSCRIBE!