Find the Right College for You
Smart Interview Questions to Pick and Choose
Your Best College or University

University of California at LA

Middlebury College, Vermont

College Interview Questions to Find a College That's Right for You

1. General Criteria
2. The Right Academic Programs
3. Find a College that Prepares Its Students Well
4. College Campus Life
5. College Extracurricular Activities
6. College Student Body
7. Your College Financial Criteria
8. Are the Ivy League and Big Name Colleges Right for You?
9. Where to Find More Information About the Right College

1. 
   University of Kentucky
   Would you prefer to attend a public or a private college? Public colleges are supported in part by tax dollars, while private colleges rely partly on endowments.
2. Is the college accredited?
3. Do you want to attend a coed college or a single sex college?
4. Is your ideal college one of the historically black colleges?
5. Does your ideal college have a religious affiliation?
6. Do you want a college with a military affiliation?
7. Do you want to attend a two-year college or a four-year college? Some students enroll at a two-year college and plan to transfer to a four-year college for the junior and senior year.
8. Would you prefer a small, medium or large college? A small student body is under 1,000. A large student body is over 7,000.
9. Would you prefer a college in a rural community, or in a college town, or in an urban area?
10. Is it important that the college have name recognition and be well-known?
11. Do you want to attend the college where your family graduated?
12. Do your parents have a decided preference for certain colleges?
13. Where should your college be located?
14. Does your field of interest affect the location of your college? For example, marine biology studies near an ocean, geology in the mountains or desert, and so on.

1. 
   University of Cincinnati, Ohio
   How important is the academic reputation of the college?
2. If you have decided on your college major, how important is the reputation of the college in your field?
3. Does the college offer a major in your field of interest? Not all colleges offer a major in photography or veterinary science or dance.
4. Does the college offer a major program that fits your career goals?
5. Is the college on the semester schedule or the quarterly schedule?
6. Does the college offer a summer school program?
7. Does the college have a three-year accelerated study program?
8. Do you want a college with small seminar classes in which the students participate, or should most of the classes be lectures?
9. Do you want to find a research college, one that also offers masters and doctoral degree programs?
10. Do you want to attend a liberal arts college, where your degree will be in one of the many fields classified as liberal arts, social sciences, humanities, sciences or the arts?
11. How important is a junior year study program abroad?
12. How big are the class sizes? Freshmen classes are sometimes over 100 students.
13. How many classes are taught by part-time faculty and how many by experienced professors?
14. Are you looking for a rigorous academic program?
15. Are you looking for a strong program in the fine arts or in the performing arts?
16. Does the college require an important senior project?
17. Can you customize your own study program?
18. Are computer labs, science labs, research facilities and language labs important?
19. Will the college offer you tutoring and special advisers if you need them?
20. Do students meet the faculty outside of class?
21. If you have chosen a college major, are the faculty well-known in the field?
22. Does the college offer online courses for credit?
23. Does the college require volunteer work in the community?

1. 
   Texas A&M
   What percentage of freshmen students return for their sophomore year?
2. What percentage of incoming freshmen actually graduate?
3. What percentage of graduates find a job in their major field
4. What percentage of college graduates go on to graduate school?
5. Should the other students be ambitious and knowledgeable?
6. Should the college have a party reputation?

1. 
   University of Wisconsin
   Is the campus architecture and layout attractive?
2. Can the students live off-campus? If so, what kind of apartments are available off-campus and close by?
3. Are the dormitories pleasant? Is food service up to par?
4. What are the dormitory rules for curfew, lights out, coed guests, coed roommates, religious services, off-campus trips, phone calls, laundry and cooking?
5. What are the recreational and social opportunities?
6. Are accommodations made for students with disabilities?
7. Is the campus safe and secure? Is there a nighttime escort service available?
8. If you will need public transportation, is it available?
9. Does the college allow students to have their own car?
10. Are free or low-cost health services and student insurance available on campus?

1. 
   Northwestern University, Illinois
   Are sororities and fraternities important to you?
2. Does the college have a winning sports team?
3. Does the college have extracurricular activities and a student union?
4. Is there a campus newspaper, or student radio station or television station?
5. How important is it to go to the same college as your high school friends?
6. Does your ideal college have a gym, swimming pool or the sports program you want?
7. Would you like to be close to a city with theater, fine arts or museums?

1. 
   Ohio State University
   What are the other students like at your ideal college?
2. Is it important that other students be achievement oriented?
3. Is everybody friendly and close-knit?
4. Is it important to have international students and cultural diversity?
5. Do most of the students live at home and commute to classes?
6. Are the students at the college politically active? Are they involved with the community?