How Can My Child Go About Choosing a College?

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The Quality of the College

How many students who start at this school earn a certificate or degree? How many drop out? A high drop-out rate may suggest that students are dissatisfied with the education an institution provides. Be particularly careful about having your child enroll in a school that graduates a very low percentage of its students. Also ask about tuition refund policies for students who drop out in the first weeks of an educational program.
What is the loan default rate at this college? Do students repay their student loans? The default rate is the percentage of students who took out student loans to help pay their expenses but did not repay them properly. A high default rate may suggest that students who borrowed never completed their educational program, or that they were unable to find jobs and repay the loans when they graduated. Colleges with consistently high default rates may be barred from student loan programs, and students attending these institutions may thus be ineligible for federal loans.
Have other students who have gone to this college liked it? What has their experience been? Colleges should be able to refer you to current students or recent graduates of their programs. These individuals can give you their opinion about classes, facilities, the faculty (teachers), and the skills they have learned.
What kinds of facilities does this college have? Are they adequate for my child's needs? You and your child should consider the condition of classrooms, libraries, and dormitories when choosing a college. The types of facilities appropriate for a college depend on the type of education provided. For example, a college offering classes in the sciences should have modern laboratories, and an institution that offers computer education classes should have adequate computer facilities.

Admissions Requirements and Financial Aid

What admissions requirements does this college have? Each institution can require students to take certain high school classes and submit certain items with their applications. Make sure you know what is required by the schools that interest your child.
Is this college accredited by an agency recognized by the secretary of education and eligible to participate in federal student aid programs? Federal financial aid is available only to students attending eligible institutions. Students attending other institutions cannot receive federal financial aid. If you are interested in having your child apply for federal financial aid, be wary of unaccredited institutions and those with high default rates. can call the Federal Student Financial Aid Information Center toll-free to find out if a particular college is an eligible institution. The number is 1-800-4FED-AID.

This information was provided by: The U.S. Department of Education. More information can be found by clicking here.

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How Can My Child Go About Choosing a College?

WiseBozo says:

May 16, 2007

These are great questions to ask at college open houses. Most schools host these events for prospective students; it's a great way to see the campus, ask questions, and get details on the school. We went to several with our son and the experience was invaluable. It helped him both rule out several schools and determine his first choice.