COLLEGE
OFFICE

   

COLLEGE SEARCH CONSIDERATIONS

The College Advisers are dedicated to helping each student identify a set of colleges which is most appropriate for him. Through the use of resource materials, group meetings, and individual consultations, the College Advisers assist each young man in determining the group of colleges to which he applies. In order to prepare for these decisions, students are encouraged to make use of the technology available in the College Advisersí Office, the Ryan Library, and in the Computer Center. Each student participates in a series of workshops designed to introduce each boy to rudimentary features of the World Wide Web and The Hill School Home Page (http://www.thehill.org). With these tools, students are able to make informed decisions regarding the type of institution they would most like to attend.

Quality Assessment Issues

In order for students and families to be thoroughly informed about the colleges they are researching, they need to probe beyond the traditional information provided by colleges. Viewbooks and other admissions materials are designed as "marketing" tools. Campus tours offered by most colleges provide limited information regarding the "quality" of the institution. Prospective students and their families can explore beyond the superficial information provided by colleges by considering some of the following questions.

I. Institutional Mission:

  • What is the mission of the college?
  • What programs or practices of the college are designed to put its avowed mission and philosophy into action?
  • How is the college unique?

    II. Quality of Teaching:

  • What is the average class size for introductory or general education courses taken by first and second-year students?
  • What is the average class size for important skill-development courses (writing, public speaking)?
  • Who teaches first-year students? What percentage of introductory courses are taught by faculty (as opposed to graduate teaching assistants)? Experienced, full-time faculty?
  • What percentage of the faculty is part-time?
  • Are classes conducted as lectures or seminars?
  • Are first-year students expected to do much writing?
  • Do students receive much written feedback from teachers on exams?
  • What are the expectations for typical faculty office hours?
  • What is the extent of the informal student-faculty contact outside the classroom?
  • How are instructors evaluated? Are faculty expected to publish? Conduct independent research? Are undergraduates students involved in research?

    III. Quality of Academic Advising:

  • Is each student assigned a personal adviser?
  • What is the expected frequency of contact between the student and adviser?
  • Can the student choose an adviser? Change an adviser?
  • Does the college have trained peer counselors available to students?
  • Are the advisers regularly evaluated?

    IV. Quality of Student Support During Key Transitions:

  • Does the college guarantee on-campus housing for all first-year students?
  • Does the college provide a first-year orientation? Does the program continue after the start of the semester? Is there a program designed for parents and families of first-year students?
  • Is there an early warning system designed to identify first-year students in crisis?
  • How are students made aware of available support programs?

    V. Quality of the Curriculum:

  • Is there a rationale given for the college's "core" curriculum? Is it clear why these courses are required or how they benefit students personally and professionally?
  • Do first-year students share a common educational experience (freshman seminar or required course)?
  • Is the "core" curriculum integrated throughout various academic departments?
  • Are courses in academic majors organized to have a clear beginning (introduction), middle, and end (closure) to the program?
  • What fields of study are well recognized or distinctive in terms of the nature or content of its courses?
  • Does the curriculum include a meaningful honors program for academically qualified students?
  • Does the curriculum include a study-abroad option?
  • What is the academic calendar (semester, term, 4-1-4, quarter)? Are there opportunities for summer study?
  • Does the college offer programs or courses for seniors designed to serve as a capstone experience which facilitates the graduate's transition from college to post-college life?

    VI. Quality of Co-Curricular Opportunities:

  • What leadership opportunities are available for students?
  • What internship or volunteer opportunities are available?
  • Does the college attempt to integrate students' in-class and out-of-class learning experiences?
  • Does the college recognize students who make contributions to student life and community life outside the classroom?
  • Do the residence halls offer educational programs?

    VII. Quality of Institutional Assessment:

  • What is the college's retention rate?
  • How long does it usually take for a full-time student to complete a degree?
  • Are student-opinion and student-satisfaction surveys regularly conducted? What do the students perceive the college's strengths and weaknesses to be?
  • Does the college attempt to "track" its students from entry to graduation? Are exit interviews conducted?

    *This material has been adapted from "Identifying Educational Quality: College-Choice Guidelines For Students, Parents, and Counselors", by Dr. Joseph B. Cuseo (1993).

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