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Time English (United States) Language 2 Action
00:06
Before I decided what college I wanted to go to, I wanted to be a glassblower.
00:09
When I decided not to do that, I applied to schools for a linguistics major.
00:12
And if I hadn’t chosen either of those paths, I might have gone to community college
00:16
and transferred to a four-year school later.
00:18
There are no wrong choices, but there are a LOT of choices, and that can be overwhelming.
00:22
When it comes to choosing the right school for you, it starts with picking an institution
00:26
that’s truly committed to supporting your success as a student.
00:29
That includes helping students get good grades,
00:31
but it’s also about offering programs and resources that empower you to excel
00:35
inside and outside of the classroom.
00:37
Hi, I’m Erica Brozovsky and this is Crash Course: How to College,
00:40
a Study Hall series presented in partnership
00:42
with Arizona State University and Crash Course.
00:44
[INTRO MUSIC PLAYS ]
00:53
As college students, we want to be somewhere that prioritizes our success,
00:56
and that means finding a place that will support us from start to finish.
00:59
And that support might look different for everyone,
01:01
so finding the right school starts with advocating for yourself.
01:04
And one way to start this self-advocacy journey is to think about yourself as a learner.
01:08
Maybe you're someone who likes to hole up and read everything you can about true crime.
01:12
Or maybe you're someone who likes to meet up with friends and binge the latest docuseries–or both!
01:16
Another way to advocate for yourself is to identify your priorities.
01:19
Maybe getting a job is the most important thing to you.
01:22
Ask the alumni office at your potential school about job placement rates
01:25
and whether the school has a good relationship with local employers.
01:28
If you’re interested in a skills-based job --
01:29
like a mechanic or an electrician or a medical assistant
01:32
-- you might find that a community college, or maybe a trade school is the best fit.
01:36
You’ll get specialized training for a specific job or industry.
01:39
Or if you’re interested in a job in law or medicine or teaching, those careers tend to have
01:43
education or certification requirements you’ll want to make sure your college can satisfy.
01:47
Some schools are for-profit, which means they want to enroll as many students as possible
01:51
to maximize the money they earn.
01:53
In some cases, they don’t have enough resources in place to support students,
01:57
so it’s important to use caution when considering these types of schools.
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You should also be aware of whether a school is accredited.
02:02
Accreditation is important because it tells you whether the schools’ academic
02:06
and training programs meet quality educational standards.
02:09
Thinking about your goals and researching a school before you commit to it
02:12
is another form of self-advocacy.
02:13
You can also advocate for yourself by exploring useful resources before you enroll at a college.
02:18
By checking out college websites or even specific programs they offer,
02:21
you can look for useful resources like tutoring, mental health counseling,
02:25
or whatever you think you might need based on your learning style and priorities.
02:28
One of the most effective ways to learn more about these resources
02:31
is to talk to a current or former student.
02:34
Admissions offices are usually happy to connect prospective students with current students.
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Many schools even have Ambassadors whose job is to talk to new and prospective students.
02:42
Talking to other people can be helpful too.
02:44
Before making your decision, contact schools of interest to speak with
02:47
an admissions counselor.
02:48
An admissions counselor can help you learn more about the school
02:50
and assist you with scheduling a college visit.
02:52
If I was touring a college campus,
02:54
I’d be interested in asking questions about the student life,
02:57
clubs, and the food on campus.
02:59
Prepare for your visit by making a list of questions you want answered.
03:02
Create a checklist of things you want to accomplish at each college.
03:05
Be sure to pay attention to things like what the surrounding community is like,
03:08
whether there are nearby attractions or landmarks,
03:10
and whether the campus is in a small rural town or a big city.
03:13
Even asking about the weather can really help inform your decision.
03:16
Can’t make it to a campus in person? That’s okay!
03:18
Many schools offer virtual campus visits, and websites like
03:21
YouVisit and CampusTours compile online campus tours in one place.
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Speaking of online resources, you can consult reputable websites and databases,
03:29
such as College Board and Cappex, to find information about admission rates,
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demographics, graduation rates, accreditation, class sizes, and more.
03:37
You can also use the College Scorecard,
03:40
which is a tool created by the U.S. Department of Education to help
03:43
prospective students compare colleges.
03:45
This data will help you understand the type
03:46
of experience you might have as a student at the college.
03:49
For example, according to the Carnegie Classification,
03:52
a school is classified as “small” if it has less than 5,000 students.
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So, if you attend a small school, chances are your class size will be small, too.
04:00
Smaller class sizes usually mean
04:02
more one-on-one time with your professor for learning support.
04:04
If this is important to you,
04:06
you may want to take note of this information when it comes time to research colleges.
04:09
Now that we’ve talked about some ways you can advocate for yourself
04:11
as a prospective college student,
04:13
let’s look at the types of colleges you can choose from.
04:15
With nearly 4,000 colleges in the United States, we’ve got a wide range of colleges to consider.
04:20
If you’re considering a trade school—the type of institution we talked about earlier—
04:24
you can expect to complete your diploma or certificate program within two years or less.
04:28
And once you complete your training, you may go into an apprenticeship that allows you
04:32
to get additional hands-on job training.
04:34
Another type is a community college,
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where you could pursue a certificate within one year or less,
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or you can get an associate’s degree, which can be earned within about two years.
04:42
For some people, it may take more time.
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And the third option is a four-year college, which offers bachelor’s degrees in a range of subjects.
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Some go straight to a four-year school after they graduate high school.
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Others may go on to attend a four-year school
04:54
after completion of their associate’s degree.
04:56
In addition to bachelor’s degrees, most four-year colleges
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and universities offer certificate programs,
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master’s degrees, and doctoral programs.
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If you attend a four-year school, you will have the option to live at home,
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stay in an on-campus residence hall (also called a dorm),
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or live in off-campus housing.
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That last option is usually only available to juniors and seniors,
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though this varies between schools.
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Even though we refer to these schools as “four-year colleges”,
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the time it takes to complete your degree may vary.
05:21
Keep in mind that you can complete your certificate or degree at your own pace,
05:25
but it’s important to note any restrictions the college may have.
05:28
Some four-year institutions require students to complete the degree within seven to ten years.
05:33
And just like there are different types of trade schools,
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there are different types of four year colleges.
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For instance, a four-year college can be public,
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which means it’s usually larger and gets funding from the state government.
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Or you can choose a private four-year college,
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which means the school relies on endowments and tuition.
05:48
As a result, private colleges usually cost more,
05:51
but many of these schools offer substantial financial aid packages and scholarships,
05:55
which we’ll talk more about in a future episode
05:57
With all these options, you might be wondering how you can narrow them down.
06:00
You may want to consider the time commitment,