This post was written especially for College Essay Guy by
Emily Dobson, Certified Educational Planner, Administrator, Mom, and Access Warrior at EDGE College Consultants, LLC and the Caribbean and Latin America Network
Developing a great list of colleges takes time, research, and a whole lot of self-reflection.
Throw in a global pandemic and remove the prospect of being able to visit a school in person, and knowing how to research colleges can be even tougher.
But is it impossible? Not at all.
In fact, given the costs associated with visiting colleges (flights, hotels, gas, time off from school or work), visiting campuses isn’t realistic for everyone.
Keep in mind that thousands of students develop balanced college lists and even commit to attending their college without ever stepping foot on campus.
Like students from around the world with a multitude of backgrounds, the college counseling arena and the practitioners who fill it are a cornucopia of experience, perspectives and bandwidth—from the school based guidance counselor overseeing emotional wellness (sometimes with caseloads of 100s of students) to the cooperative counselor (also known as an independent educational counselor) overseeing students and schools across entire regions.
No matter who you are, it all begins with understanding the research process. And learning to do that alone? Well, it can seem daunting (and is downright terrifying at times). But it doesn't have to be. There are many groups out there to support the research process—and even some basic questions that anyone, especially the international community, can keep in mind.
Researching skills start with community
Counselors should look for ways to get educated on the basics of college research through programs such as the University of California’s College Counseling Certificate programs or CollegeBoard’s annual International Counselor Workshop. These programs (amongst others) put the student first by requiring the educator to demonstrate ethical practices steeped in a proven knowledge base.
Counselors can also look for educational opportunities through counseling associations such as:
Students who are looking for certified college counselors should check for affiliation to at least one of the above associations, especially since members are held to ethical standards of practice.
Other great sources for research for educators and applicants alike include EducationUSA, a global study abroad resource overseen by advisers trained by the US Department of State network. Many of these sites have free access curated by experts in the field.
One way to start researching is to know who has researched before you, thereby confirming that the information received is credible. The American Institute of Certified Educational Planners (AICEP) has developed an exam to test both institutional and professional knowledge, and regardless of its ‘American’ name, the institutional questions are incredibly valuable for international applicants. Seeing as this is the only way to get a credential in the field, the exam’s simple questions seem like a suitable way to start research—especially when we cannot travel to a campus and see everything for ourselves.
Let’s call the following AICEP prompts the 5-Question Framework; applying these questions as well as the ones they inspire, we have an excellent source for ANY counselor, any administrator, any coordinator, any trustworthy supporting adult, or any self-guided student ANYWHERE in the world, to capture the right information during the college search.
The 5 Question Framework
What type of student might be happy and best served at this institution?
What are the standout features or attributes of this institution?
Describe the physical facility and the influences of the surrounding communities and consider the influence of the college/university/school/program.
In general, what are the admission criteria?
Research two or three examples of similar institutions and describe the reason for the similarities—would those also be on the list for the right reasons?
Here are just a few ways we can start to answer these questions:
University Email Lists
Universities will do a pretty good job sending you communications—and some of them are pretty helpful. Taking the time to go to the admissions page to sign up for the mailing list often allows applicants to get tailored information about specific programs, advanced registration opportunities for webinar events and sometimes even fee waivers for applications. Links to connect may be found either on the admissions page OR searching the keywords (“mailing list”) and the institution name.
Actually read what they say—note it down. You may be surprised by the information that you find. What makes you curious? What excites you? What are the admissions requirements? Write. Them. Down. (Oh, and be ready to make folders for the influx of incoming mail. Gmail, and other servers, all have tips on how to make folders and filters.)
Be sure to check the requirements specific to your situation: reach out to the university admissions office when in doubt. Source.
Virtual Tours and Viewing Parties
Next, take time to go on virtual tours. Lucky for those of us in other time zones, these accessible online options are usually available at any hour of the day or night—and can be interactive, video recorded, simple images or even a ‘text tours’, a dedicated set of information collected about a school written out. An affordable option, touring campuses online will allow for a self-paced, note-taking adventure. How can you find an online campus tour? Here are a few ways:
Directly on the university’s website
YouTube (type the college’s name + “tour”)
Instagram/Facebook for a university’s Admissions Office
Campuses vary in size, style, location and more: what you need to research is how do the physical structures on campus appeal to me? What are the more remarkable features of this institution?
For example, can you imagine yourself standing in the science labs or reading in the library? Walking across busy New York streets to your dorm or biking through a small town in the Netherlands to your apartment? The environment you are in is part of your learning, your mood and the overall experience. Being new to a country or a location, it’s important to consider not just physical features and special attributes but the surrounding community.
Neighborhoods and cities are big contributors to a university experience—from businesses that have college partnerships and reflect types of courses/internships offered to the urban or suburban or rural layout that can dictate the pace/type of lifestyle. Many institutional websites are now offering peeks of what goes on outside their campus, but you can also try Google Earth’s Street View.
Social Media
Social media is a great way to engage from more than one angle, and explore more than one point of view. As you peruse, ask yourself what noticeable attributes and unique features make this college special and what type of student seems to fit in at this school. Asking the college what type of student is happiest at their university is part of YOUR requirements. You want to be happy where you study.
Another perk is that many accounts, officially or not officially related to the university, may have student voices behind them, which adds another level to the type of information shared. I recommend checking out Unigo, Induck, StudentCrowd, WhatUni, UniBuddy, and numerous official and unofficial YouTube videos about international student life as part of your research.
Some institutions offer multiple outlets, so think creatively. There may be several subcategories to the main account. For example, ‘international admissions’, ‘student life’, and some get even more specific like Miami University’s (with research you will come to know that it is actually in Ohio, not Florida) Psychology Department’s Instagram account, @MiamiOhPsyc.
All of these can act as stepping stones to having an intelligent conversation with someone from the school—whether it is an applicant’s regional admission officer, a student ambassador or an alum (or all three!).
In today’s digital world, live contact still assumes a greater impact on our decisions. Hearing from reliable parties about how the international student body is created, nurtured, and involved on campus is a very significant part of choosing the right college.
Take the Next Step
In closing, what can feel like busy work at the start, actually sets you, the student-researcher, up to be a composed, critical thinking, risk-taker whose knowledge will become more apparent throughout the process. When an international student unabashedly asks admissions representatives to describe the type of student best served at the institution, how the surrounding community plays a part in the institution’s environment, or even goes as far as fact-checking their own college list by asking them to share suggestions of similar institutions—they are building a foundation to their own success through self-advocacy.
Confidence stemming from thoughtful investigation can translate into more assertive and informed essays/statements, interviews, letters of recommendation and, ultimately, can create more space for making the tough decision of which offer to accept at the end.
Are you ready to build your research foundation?
Check out some of these other sources that help you consider the framework:
Already accepted to a few colleges and bummed you can’t visit anymore?
These resources will help you too:
A Practical Guide to Creating a Great College List: Start here. It’s got tons of resources and takes you step by step through a process to figure out:
What do I want out of my college experience?
Where should I start researching?
How do I organize all my research?
Virtual College Tours Master Spreadsheet: This awesome resource includes links to tons of virtual tours for over a thousand colleges. It’s a great quick-reference resource that links to schools’ official YouTube channels, plus CampusReel, YOUniversityTV, and YouVisit pages for hundreds of colleges. Plus, you’ll find key info on size, location, and whether or not schools are offering virtual info session. (Many thanks to Rebecca Chabrow for pulling this together.)
CampusReel.org: Lots of college virtual tours can be a bit, well, just okay. You’ll get insight into how one particular college’s biology program is ranked number whatever in the United States, or hear about its 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio. But CampusReel tours are led by current students, usually on their phone (selfie-style), so you get invited right into their dorm room, classroom, or dining hall. If you’re looking for a more authentic peek into the student experience, CampusReel is a great place to start.
So there you have it. Throw on some headphones, put on your favorite playlist, and get lost.
Happy researching.
Resources mentioned in this article:
