There are hundreds of sources of information regarding the college selection process. Below is a list from the National Association of College Admission Counselors of factors to consider and places to gather information:

College Counselor - Doesn’t have all the answers, but can help you find them.

College Guide Books - There are factual books like The College Handbook by The College Board or opinionated books like The Fiske Guide to Colleges. Both types can be helpful and can be purchased at a local bookstore and are available in the College Guidance Office.

College Literature - Upon request, any college will gladly send its literature. Read carefully and try to look beyond the glossy pictures. Simply send a letter with your return address to request a view book, application, course catalog and financial aid/scholarship materials.

College Representative - Ask questions about your concerns and interests. Most representatives would rather answer questions than do a monologue. Do not judge a college by the representative (good or bad). College representatives visit St. Margaret’s from all over the United States. Approximately 50 college representatives will visit from mid September through the end of November.

College Catalogs - These books do not have glossy pictures, but they can tell you a great deal about a college. They are especially helpful for researching course offerings. Many college catalogs are available in the College Guidance Office.

College View - A computer based search program that enables students to conduct information searches based on subjective criteria. Also able to take interactive CD-ROM tours of colleges and apply on-line to those colleges and universities that participate in the College View program.

College Videos/CD-ROMS - Many colleges send their videos and CD-ROMS to the College Guidance Office. They are available to view in the office or to check out.

Computer Search Program - Use the Internet!! This is fast becoming the predominant source of procuring information, contacting admissions counselors, applying to college, and requesting information and applications. Refer to Internet section for addresses of college search programs.

College Visits - This is one of the best ways to gather information. These visits are difficult to arrange in a busy school year however, if you are interested in any of the local colleges, they are happy to arrange  visits. Contact the admissions office directly and ask for the daily scheduled information sessions and campus tours. They usually have them two to three times daily and would be more than happy to schedule you for one of the times.

Internet - There is 1 terminal in the College Guidance Office that provide internet access as well as the computer lab in the Upper School.

Parents, Teachers, Friends - Talk to people about colleges, but try to separate facts from opinions. When in doubt, ASK!

Former St. Margaret’s Students - Most former students who are now attending a college are usually happy to share their experiences.

Admissions Publications

Getting In. Oliveria, Paulo de and Cohen, Steve.

The College Admission Mystique. Bill Maher.

The Insider’s Guide to The Colleges. Yale Daily News Staff. St. Martin.

Barron’s Profiles of American Colleges. Barron’s Education Series.

Barron’s Guide to the Best Popular and Most Exciting Colleges. Barron’s Education Series.

Callahan’s Guide to Athletics and Academics in America. Harper, Row Publishers. Callahan, Timothy R.

Fiske Guide to Colleges. Fiske, Edward. Times Books.

The Best Buys in College Education. Fiske, Edward & Michalak, Joseph.Times Books.

The Comparative Guide to American Colleges (14th Edition). Cass, James & Birnbaum, Max. Harper & Row.

The Public Ivys. Moll, Richard. Viking.

Playing the Private College Admissions Game. Moll, Richard. Penguin Books.

Peterson’s Guide to Four Year Colleges. Peterson’s Printing.

The College Handbook. The College Board.

The Best 311 Colleges. Custard, Edward, Christine Jung, John Katzman, Zac Knower, Tom Meltzer. Princeton Review.

The College Application Essay. McGinty, Sarah Myers. College Entrance Examination Board, NY.

Peterson’s Colleges with Programs for Students with Learning Disabilities or Attention Deficit Disorder, Peterson’s Printing.

Looking Beyond the Ivy League, Loren Pope.

Colleges that Change Lives, Loren Pope

Internet Guide for College Bound Students, Kenneth Hartman, The College Board.

Financial Aid Publications

Discounts and Deals at the Nation’s 300 Best Colleges. Bruce Hammond.

FACTS Financial Aid for College Through Scholarships and Loans: A Guide to Meeting College Expenses. Hoffman, Elizabeth & Stafford, Nancy H. Orchard’s House.

Don’t Miss Out: The Ambitious Students’ Guide to Financial Aid. 145th Edition. Leider, Robert & Leider, Anna. Octameron.

The A’s and B’s of Academic Scholarships . 13th Edition. Octameron.

College Grants from Uncle Sam: Am I Eligible and for How Much? 10th Edition. Octameron.

Financial Aid for Higher Education Catalog: A Catalog for Undergraduates. Compiled by Keelsar, Brown Co., Dubuque.

The College Money Handbook. 7th Edition. Editor Andrea Lehman, Princeton: Peterson Guide.

The College Financial Aid Emergency Kit. Kennedy, Joyce L. & Davis, H. Cardiff, Sun Features, Inc.

College Financial Aid Annual. Editor John Schwartz, New York, Arco.

Special Interest Books

(all of these books are in the college library and may be checked out)

The Performing Arts Major’s College Guide, Carole J. Everett.

Counseling Secondary Students with Learning Disabilities. Michael Koehler and Marybeth Kravets.

Advising Student Athletes through the College Recruitment Process -- A guide for students, parents and counselors, Michael Koehler.

The Multicultural Student’s Guide to Colleges, Robert Mitchell.

The Uncollege Alternative. Danielle Wood.

Taking Time Off. Colin Hall and Ron Leiber.

America’s Top Internships. Mark Oldman and Sameer Hamadeh.