Picking the Right School

The school’s reputation can be identified in the credentials of the accreditation, emphasis of thought and perception of education. The accreditation process is a complicated process that universities must continuously resubmit and make program changes. The focus of the college should also be determined. Does the school have a liberal arts focus? Is the focus more on academics or sports? The college should have an established reputation of accreditation and leadership in the field of your choice.

Key Point:

Credentials

Emphasis of thought

Perception of education

The program’s reputation may be different from the reputation of the school. The program’s reputation in a particular field may carry weight in the job market; however, the school’s reputation would not. Also, it is important to note if the program’s reputation is known regionally or nationally. A good question to ask is if graduates of the program go on to leadership and well-paying positions.

Key Point:

Regionally vs. Nationally

Program’s reputation vs. School’s reputation

Positions offered following graduation

The faculty should be published and well established at the undergraduate school within a program of interest. The faculty will influence the daily life of an undergraduate student assisting them in developing a basic and advanced knowledge of the field of choice. In undergraduate school, the classes are larger than high school, and the interaction between faculty and students is limited. That is why it is up to the student to develop relationships with the faculty members outside of the classroom. The faculty should have current publications, strong funding on research, and good reputations. The desire of every undergraduate student should be to find a strong mentor within the program of choice with established connections in the field. The question about choice of a mentor may also enter into the discussion about selecting an undergraduate program at interview time.

Key Point:

Faculty credentials

Current publications

Choice of mentor

The location of the school is critical if the student is restricted on travel. A student’s best choice may be an online program if the maximum amount of time at home is required. Travel time should be considered in determining the total time away from home required. You may also need to factor in extended class hours/sessions because undergraduate school often requires multiple after school or weekend projects with classmates. Depending on your class schedule and hours of credit you are attempting obtain, you could spend an entire day at school three times a week as well as ½ a day two times a week. Most undergraduate students work and attend undergraduate school full-time or part-time, therefore prepare to be distant from the family and friends if the program requires attending classes as most undergraduate programs require. Internet courses often allow flexible hours, however do not provide hands on instruction or review material in many cases, which may not be to your benefit in the long run. In addition, the type of degrees offered over the Internet are limited verses the standard college set-up. Also, you may miss out on the sharing of ideas and experiences that occurs in the standard classroom.

Key point:

Location, location, location

Travel time

Flexible hours/scheduling

The debate really centers on public vs. private undergraduate schools. Private undergraduate schools in general are more prestigious than public schools, but are in general are much more expensive. Potential students should be aware that some private undergraduate programs are not eligible for federal funding; therefore, low interest federal loans may not be available. Calculating the potential savings over the course of repaying the loan, it may be cost prohibitive to attend private undergraduate programs that are not eligible for federal funding. Public schools in general have easily accessible low interest federal dollars for undergraduate school. Private university education for tuition for one-year average is around 20,000 dollars. Public university education for tuition within state resident’s average is around 3,500 dollars. If attending a professional program, it is important to remember that whether you attend a public or private school you will still be that professional when you graduate i.e. a registered nurse is a registered nurse. Most of the time the pay rate for professionals is directly related to experience not the school where they graduated.

A student must consider if they learn best in a small, medium, and large learning environment. Most undergraduate school classes in their field of choice consist of a tight knit group of individuals with similar goals and interest while the additional classes required for the student to be considered “well-rounded” may have students from all fields. For example, a speech class may have history, foreign language, mathematics, and art students. Remember that small undergraduate schools may not have the resources for research or academic training compared to larger undergraduate schools. Always consider the total number of undergraduate students in a program when making your decision. Also, a student should consider if the undergraduate program is religious, conservative, liberal or politically motivated. Class diversity should be available to a potential student to determine if they are comfortable with the diversity of the school. For example: if a student is seeking a small undergraduate program with a background of conservative values, numerous undergraduate programs can be ruled in and out easily when applying for undergraduate school with this information.

Some undergraduate programs offer classes only during limited school hours and offer no flexibility with course scheduling. However, larger undergraduate schools may offer more course flexibility. If an undergraduate student is traveling on a part-time or on a daily basis to campus, consider drive time and time for intermittent delays. In addition, attendance policies may come into play. Mostly, the dean sets the undergraduate school hours; however, teachers may require additional flexibility for specialty programs. In general, many special projects are required for undergraduate school completion in a variety of subjects as well as in the field of choice requiring multiple after hours’ meetings. For example, a presentation required for passing a class may require extensive planning and preparation that far exceeds the standard undergraduate school hours.

Many programs also have different time requirements for the degree. Some professional programs require less time on internships and class attendance. Moreover, certain schools offer longer breaks between semesters and more holidays. To a certain extent, you may control the length of time required to obtain your degree by how many credits you take in a semester and complete successfully. Remember not to take more credits than you can handle. This will result in either poor grades or withdrawals on your transcript that may later on hinder your attempts to further your education with graduate work.

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