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How do i go about selecting colleges? i want to possibly double major in psych and political science

my gpa is around 3.5 (CIE) but i am aiming to get a higher score in my SATs so that it balances out. Im an American citizen studying in highschool in Nepal. What tier of colleges should i aim for?
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Burel’s Answer

I agree with Fred on all counts. I'd also like to add that you must make the best of the opportunity wherever you attend college. The best advice I have is to do the best you can in your coursework. In addition, 1. it's important to know why you want to major in Political Science and Psychology, 2. get involved on campus in terms of developing yourself as a leader. Student government, the Psychology Club, Social Justice via diversity and inclusion are a few examples and 3. internships are great preparations for the world of work
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Fred’s Answer

Research. There are many places that will give you overviews of colleges. US News and World Report has one we have used. Google things like "best college for Psych" or whatever and read.

Remember though, that you need to consider more than just the rankings. Do you want to stay close to home, or do you want to get as far away as possible? Do you want a large school or small? Is Greek life (i.e. Sororities/Fraternities) important to you? What are the admission requirement for the school, and do you have a realistic chance of getting in? My daughter would love to go to Yale for pre-med, but knows she doesn't have the grades/test scores to get in.

Cost is a factor. College is expensive. State schools usually cost less that private schools, but perhaps you would get a scholarship to the latter.

Do you have friends going to that school, or does that even matter to you?

Once you narrow down your list, most schools will have tours for possible incoming freshman. Once you schedule it via their website, you can go and get a campus tour, eat at the dining halls, partake in some seminars (financial aid, dorm life, maybe visit a lab). Some might even offer overnight visits where you stay with a student overnight (not sure how COVID is affecting this). If they don't offer physical tours, they usually have a large portion of their websites devoted to showing you the campus and how often they are.

In the end, there is no "right" way to figure out what school.

NOTE: My answer is primarily based on my experience in the U.S.A.
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Cameron’s Answer

When choosing a college, it can seem pretty overwhelming at first. But it's important to remember that the prestige or name recognition of the university is not everything. To make this process less overwhelming, I would start by asking yourself some basic questions to narrow down the field. Here are SOME of the important questions you should be asking yourself:

- Where do I want to go to college? In the US? West Coast? East Coast? In the South? In a city?
- What kind of major/program am I interested in? Could I potentially change my mind and are there other good options if I do?
- What experiences do I value? (big football games/tailgating, lots of research opportunities, near/in a big city, etc)
- How strong is the major/program that I am interested in?
- What size university fits me best? Large, medium, or small? State or private?
- Does the student population seem like a good match for me?
- How much does this university cost? Can I afford it? Will I need lots of loans and/or scholarships to afford this college?
- Can I truly see myself belonging here or do I just really like the sound of saying 'I got to ABC University'?
- And finally, how much do I value each of these preferences? Is it super important that I be near a large city or is it something that I'm willing to compromise on?

Obviously you won't know the answers to all of these questions, nor should you. But these questions can give you a good idea of the experience you are expecting out of college and can help narrow down your scope. If you find yourself struggling to come up with these answers, try, if possible, to go on some random college visits to different kinds of schools to get a feel for what you want. You might surprise yourself, I know I did.

I know that college rankings and your scores can feel like that is all that matters in the college selection process, but there is so much more to include in your decision. Hopefully you can find a college that matches all of your needs/wants and I wish you the best of luck on your college journey.
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Elle’s Answer

The first time around I went with whatever my family told me to do. Pick the best and most prestigious school you can. Study whatever you want and the money will follow. I believed them. I followed my dream of becoming something that resembled what THEY did. I looked up to my relatives. I found myself mimicking what THEY did instead of focusing on myself. And in the end, I was disappointed. The college was not the best fit for me, regardless of reputation. I was stellar academically but struggled with depression and bipolar disorder and that created a problem. It was something that could not be dealt with at that reputable university, which did not care about me. I eventually transferred to a different university where I thrived. It was all because the second time around, I focused on me. I thought about what I needed and what worked for me and my life. And I became an adult.

If you want to be famous, and a millionaire, then you'll find that where you went to college matters little. People do not consider a university degree that essential for those fields. But if you want to be a personal success, go where you feel would be your best fit. Trust me, not the rankings.
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Sydney’s Answer

I think determining your major is the first big step. Knowing what you will want to do for the future you'll be able to look into colleges that are the top of those fields and look at all the amazing different options.

Then, you can also just use the internet or close connections to your advantage. Ask your friends where they're going, why they are going there etc. You can also just google some great schools to attend or great schools to attend to then to transfer to.

I hope this was helpful.
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Angela D.’s Answer

Great question and answers! A link to U.S. News & World Report is below. Another tip is to spread out your applications for more considered options. I would recommend applying to two "dream" schools (which can include private universities), 3+ public universities, and 2 or so backups. Another option is to complete your prerequisites at a 2-year college and then transfer, which can be cost saving. You never know what kind of financial aid/scholarship packages you will qualify for until you have them in hand and this can vary year to year based on the applicant pool. Note that 4-year public universities come in two "sizes": more research-based (such as the University of California System) and more education/experiential-based (such as the California State System). Also, you'll want to explore early decision and early action options carefully, please see the website below. If you do some homework, you will have enough information to make a considered choice. School counselors are invaluable, as are family/friends. If you find that your new university/college is not the fit that you were looking for, you can always consider transferring to another school as yet another backup. Wishing you success in your endeavors, Dr. B

https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges
https://professionals.collegeboard.org/guidance/applications/early
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