{"id":2166,"date":"2016-09-03T10:10:00","date_gmt":"2016-09-03T10:10:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/salishseasciences.org\/blog\/?p=2166"},"modified":"2016-10-05T23:44:11","modified_gmt":"2016-10-05T23:44:11","slug":"ssis-college-spotlight-the-search-part-2-getting-the-most-out-of-a-college-website","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salishseasciences.org\/blog\/ssis-college-spotlight-the-search-part-2-getting-the-most-out-of-a-college-website\/","title":{"rendered":"SSIS College Spotlight: Effectively Reading a College Website"},"content":{"rendered":"

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SSIS College Spotlight: Effectively Reading\u00a0a\u00a0College Website<\/span><\/b>
\n<\/b>volume 1, issue 3. Fall\u00a0(updated September 2016)<\/span><\/div>\n
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Dear Seniors and Families,<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
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While a\u00a0prior Spotlight<\/em>\u00a0focused on\u00a0processes, tools, and tips for finding the\u00a0right fit, this issue of Spotlight<\/em> focuses more explicitly\u00a0on how to effectively read\u00a0college websites.<\/b><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/b><\/span><\/div>\n
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Follow the scenario and consider the questions below to\u00a0help you find schools that suit you best.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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As always, take advantage of the College Counseling office space, the materials you find there, and me!<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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Best always,<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Caroline<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Your College Counselor<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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A COLLEGE SCORECARD SCENARIO\u00a0\u2014 HOW DOES IT HELP ME NARROW MY SEARCH?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Let’s start at the beginning: you have a notion of what you want, but are overwhelmed by choices. Pretend the following: Based on a preference for small to medium non-profit private schools offering 4-year liberal arts degrees in California, you’ve found 42 results on\u00a0College\u00a0Scorecard<\/a>. You sort the schools by graduation rate because you know that it is an excellent indicator of success. The graduation rate implies that many\u00a0students arrive well prepared for college, and the school does a good job of providing students with support academically and\u00a0otherwise. You notice the\u00a0size of the schools listed and immediately rule out schools under 800 or over 6,000 students because you would prefer to get to know your professors\u00a0individually and learn in a seminar setting, beginning with the freshman year. You scan the list and realize that you have heard of some but not most schools.\u00a0What do you do now<\/span>?<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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“VIEW DETAILS” SCENARIO\u00a0\u2014 HOW DOES IT HELP ME USE\u00a0A COLLEGE WEBSITE?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
At the bottom of each scorecard you see “view more details.” You click on St. Mary’s College of California because you know that it is part of\u00a0<\/span>Colleges That\u00a0Change Lives<\/a>,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>and at 3,000 students seems a good size to have\u00a0both classroom intimacy as well as many of the academic and extracurricular choices that larger<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>schools provide. What do you learn? St. Mary’s is a Catholic school near Oakland, Berkeley, and San Francisco.\u00a0<\/span>“Student Body” reveals that 93% of students are<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>full-time and relatively diverse, racially and economically. You see that 33% of students receive Pell Grants\u2014an observation that may explain the comparatively\u00a0lower<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>graduation rate at St. Mary’s. Students living with economic constraints are more likely to take longer to graduate because they need to balance schoolwork with<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>full-time employment. The tab for “SAT\/ACT Scores” reveals that you are likely to qualify. “Academic Programs” indicate that the school provides a liberal arts<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>curriculum tuned to students who also seek practical pre-professional training. You are intrigued by the business program and the fact that Psychology is the 4th most popular major\u2026 Time to click through to the school’s webpage! Whether St.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Mary’s turns out to be the best fit\u00a0for you or not, you have just learned enough to begin a comparative search. Be sure to log pertinent comparative criteria,<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>application details, and related urls, for future use!<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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WHAT KIND OF THINGS SHOULD\u00a0I PAY ATTENTION TO\u00a0ON A COLLEGE WEBSITE?<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
The UW\u00a0splash screen above is a good example\u2014notice the\u00a0panel\u00a0topics and that each\u00a0advertises a click-through to a well-regarded department or news article. The UW is clearly proud to have graduated students whose UW educations brought them success in\u00a0medicine and business. The UW is also proud of its athletes. What have we learned? If you attend the UW, expect to be part of an enthusiastic sports community and know that you will be at a university known for the sciences\u00a0and that values entrepreneurialism. The underlying message is that if you take advantage of what the UW has to offer, you will be successful after college. Are you drawn in? Does this seem\u00a0like a good fit\u00a0for you?\u00a0With your personal criteria\u00a0in hand, you will need to search deeper into the website. <\/span><\/div>\n
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Below\u00a0is a short list of\u00a0questions to consider while looking at the different college website pages:<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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SPLASH SCREEN<\/b><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
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