Im a new CFES teacher just testing out your Ask Ali Blog before I let our Tech Club Students get into it.
They have just begun searching college websites. Any tips for them?
Brenda, Waipahu, Hawaii
Looking at colleges via their websites can be a really useful alternative to visiting TONS of colleges around the country/world.
However, I think it’s important to remember firstly that the college is using their website as a means of promoting their school, so don’t get too caught up, the photos are professional and the student testimonies have been carefully selected.
That being said, the website is still a GREAT tool for getting to know a school better. When I was applying to Middlebury I used the website a lot because I didn’t visit the college before applying. Here are some tips that I would offer students who are using the Internet to look at schools:
1.) Take advantage of the virtual tours/picture galleries that are available on the website. Obviously, a lot of the pictures will be taken by professional photographers who want the college to look its best. However, a lot of schools have virtual tours on their websites and those will generally give you a great idea of what the campus looks and feels like.
2.) Look at the department’s pages. If you know what field interests you (or even if you don’t) try and scope out some of the websites for the different departments. You can usually find a link to department websites under the list of majors and minors offered by the college. See what the departments are up to and what they have to offer.
3.) Definitely visit the “Admissions” and “Financial Aid” portion of the website. These are key spots. They are both generally VERY well constructed and informative, and will give you a list of all the dates, deadlines, and requirements that you must be aware of and meet! If you are really serious about a school, I would even bookmark them on your computer.
Finally, I would advise them to just peruse the website and see what it has to offer. Schools generally put quite a lot of effort into designing a pretty engaging website. I remember when Middlebury unveiled their newest website [HERE], it was really cool (I highly recommend checking it out). Having already offered a disclaimer about the advertising portion of the website, I would recommend that students enjoy looking into everything that is offered to let you get more acquainted with the school. It can be fun.
-Ali
