Some ideas, quotes, and background for stories you may be working on this month.

All over the U.S., thousands of students are logging into college portals this week to find out if, and where, they’ve been accepted to college. According to a Niche 2017 survey of 14,000 students applying to college, students receive acceptances from an average of three schools, but many students who are admitted to multiple schools don’t have a clear first choice. So whom should they talk to and what should they think about to end up on the campus that suits them best?

1). Search for authentic voices.

Once you’re in, the admissions website is not the best place to go anymore. Look for people who are experiencing a college, rather than promoting it.

2). Look at social media channels run by student groups.

From sports teams to the Latinx Student Association, you’ll get insight into what campus life is like, and test whether you can picture yourself as a member of any group that interests you.

3). Check out departmental web pages for your area of study.

You can meet faculty virtually, see if specific courses grab your interest, and learn about events and internships related to your potential major. Don’t forget to look up departments on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter as well – you’ll learn a lot about the personality of the program and if it suits you.

4). Go to office hours before you enroll.

Don’t be shy about connecting with faculty members in your potential major – go ahead and ask the undergraduate chair what makes her department special!

5). Read the college paper online.

Does it reflect a community that you want to be a part of?

6). Search YouTube and Vimeo for housing videos, especially videos made by students.

At many schools, freshmen are required to live on campus. See what your options for campus housing are really like, and think about where you will be most comfortable – physically and emotionally. It’s important that you are able to feel at home in your new environment.

7). Look into special concerns.

If you have special accommodation issues such as learning differences or mobility challenges, contact the student services office. You’ll want to make sure you will be able to take full advantage of all the things you want to experience on campus before you get there.

8). Be realistic about your biorhythms.

Does one of your school choices have a required 8 a.m. freshman seminar, but you struggle to get out of bed before 10? Be honest about finding the schedule that will allow you to be most successful.

9). Look into study abroad now.

The number of students who study abroad during college continues to climb. Look into your schools’ offerings and rules about receiving credit from other college’s study abroad programs. And if you are an athlete, or have a major with a heavy course load, see if that will conflict with your desire to study abroad at a given school.

10). Go with your gut

The emotional response a student has to a school is real. Are you excited by the prospect of going there? Do you feel comfortable on campus? Feel you will make friends? Be challenged and cared for at the same time? If it feels right, choose it.

The higher ed news of the past few weeks has trained a spotlight on the vastly unethical and even illegal ways some parents have “helped” their children into college. Although for the average college applicant these “assists” are not even a remote option, there are some basic Dos & Don’ts that all parents can keep in mind while gently guiding their high school senior through their first big life decision:

Pro Tips from Shannon Zottola, Vice President and Dean of Enrollment Management, Ursinus College

And last but not least, if you want to know Why the School You Choose May Be Better Than Your Better Half, click here.