How to choose a college?

Question

I'm going to be applying for colleges this fall (thinking about majoring in computer science/engineering). I want to go to a college in CA (preferably North CA).

For starters, my GPA/SAT scores aren't superb (3.93 weighted, 2000 on SAT), and I'm a active life member in CSF and have been in band for 4 years.

What colleges should I aim for (ones that I have a chance of getting in)?

And, what kind of things do you look for in choosing a college? My dad took me on some campus tours, but couldn't I have just looked up all of those statistics online? What's the point of a campus tour?

Answer 1

It is good to attend a college where the numbers of the average student more or less match up to your numbers. You dont want to be too bored in college sitting with kids who are not as smart as you, but also, you don't want to be surrounded by child prodigy geniuses who will all blow you away academically.  A nice middle ground is good.

But there are probably 100 schools that closely match your numbers, so where should you go?  When my kids were looking around we visited a LOT of campuses. Sometimes they were excited ahead of time and when they got there they could barely wait to get out! And vice versa. My youngest son actually wrote a letter to the Admissions officer at the school he eventually went to, telling him how much he liked the feel of the campus. Because we looked around so carefully, when they got to college they all really loved their schools and never had one second's though about transferring or dropping out.

You are going to spend at least $150,000 and four years or more of your life in a certain place. And, it will create memories and you will make friends that will be important to you for the next 50 years. Why shouldn't you pick a place that is pretty, interesting, full of people who you can get along with, but who are different enough so that you will learn from them.  Being in college is the one time in your life when you can totally choose how you are going to live. Take advantage of it!  

ps although Northern California is nice, it is not the world. You should definitely be considering travelling away to school. if not now, then when?