By Paula Steers Brown, August 2007

• Introduction
• Meet your match
• What do they have to offer you and what can you offer them?
• Standardized test savvy
• The application: narrow the focus
• Your essay: extract the unique
• Show your passion
• Finding funding
• Download the full article as a

Meet your match

Reflect on your own interests and learning styles, then set about finding the best college fit for you. Do not force the fit. It is important to keep an open mind, but be realistic and discuss finances and college location with your parents, because they can limit your choices.

On the Internet the facts are at your fingertips, so do your research. Your high school guidance department has lists of Web sites for every phase of the search and application process. Testing services offer Web sites such as www.collegeboard.com that provide current information on more than 3,600 colleges and compare profiles for similarities. You also should visit the 378-section of your public library to find college guide books that can fill you in on percentages, demographics, social life and programs. “Fiske” and “The Insider’s Guide” describe living and social arrangements.

If your school has a college fair, talk to the college representatives. It is a great advantage to make contact with an individual from the admissions department who recognizes your name and has some concept of you as a real person.