The Washington Times
  • Subscribe
  • Times News Services
  • RSS
  • Mobile Headlines
  • e-edition
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • REGISTER
  • LOG IN
  • E-MAIL ALERTS
  • WELCOME
  • Your Profile
  • Log Out
  • Front Page Image
  • Classifieds
  • Autos
  • Real Estate
  • Jobs
  • Special Sections
  • Customer Service
  • Home
  • News
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • NFL
    • NBA/WNBA
    • MLB
    • NHL
    • Tennis
    • Golf
    • Motorsports
    • Soccer
    • NCAA
    • Olympics
    • Outdoors
    • Other
  • Culture
    • Home & Living
    • Family & Kids
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Health
    • Washington Visitors
    • Books
    • Military History
    • Life
    • Auto
    • TV Listings
    • Movie Listings
    • Death Notices
    • Entertainment
  • Themes
  • Communities
  • Shopping
    • Stores
    • Coupons
    • Daily Double
    • Promotion
    • How It Works
  • Videos
    • Two Guys
    • Birnbaum on Washington
    • Liz Glover
    • Amanda Carpenter
    • Morning Briefing
    • Documentaries
    • Joe Giganti
    • Video Game Minute
  • Podcasts
    • About Headlines
    • Audio and Radio
    • America's Morning News
  • National

    PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine

  • National

    U.S. links 8 to Somali terrorist group

  • Business

    Home sales surge 10.1 percent in October

  • Local

    Fenty trails Gray in D.C. poll

  • Politics

    S.C. governor faces 37 ethics violations

  • National

    China holds lawyer who tried to see Obama

  • World

    Israel-Hamas prisoner swap talks advance

Saturday, October 11, 2003

College of choices

Rate this story

Average 0.00
after 0 votes
Login or register to rate this story

  • Font Size -+
  • Print
  • Email
  • Comment
  • Tweet this!
  • Share
  • Article
  • Comments ()
  • Click-2-Listen
  • Videos

More Stories

  • Kaine hints of Virginia tax hikes
  • Smugglers set eyes on U.S. truck program
  • China holds lawyer who tried to see Obama
  • Obama pondering big boost in Afghan deployment

By

Kim Russo walks the paths at the University of Maryland at College Park on a sunny, autumn day, but Kim is not a student here -- yet. She is a senior in high school in New Hope, Pa., touring this university as part of a busy college-selection schedule this fall.

Kim, 17, has surfed the Internet to scope out the Web sites of potential colleges. She attended a college fair at her high school. She has narrowed her choices to schools within three hours of her home. She and her father, Dr. Gus Russo, have already checked out Lehigh University and the University of Delaware. They are also planning to visit Georgetown University and Penn State.

It's part of a process that began more than a year ago and likely won't be wrapped up until spring. Selecting a college takes research, time and action. It's a process that has changed in the years since Kim's father enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh site unseen.

"We're in the process of the puzzle coming together," says Dr. Russo, an orthodontist. "Kim's search has evolved from New York and Boston to schools closer to our area. When I was young, we didn't do all this visiting, but I think it is great."

The process of selecting a college has, in fact, changed a great deal, says David Hawkins, director of public policy for the National Association for College Admission Counseling, a Virginia-based professional organization for high school and college guidance and admissions counselors.

There are costly consultants who can help a student narrow his choices, write a fabulous essay and coach him toward better SAT scores. There are Web sites offering tours of campuses. There are videos of campuses that can be shipped to your home. Students can apply online, saving time and postage. There are tour companies that will take high school students on bus trips to look at a dozen colleges at a time.

"There are some great electronic resources out there," Mr. Hawkins says. "Kids have so much access now, and it is so much easier to apply. But still, even with all these resources, choosing a college still comes down to a brick-and-mortar exercise. There are real concerns and questions that can't be answered in a Web site."

Mr. Hawkins and many others in the college admissions industry say that resources such as Web sites and videos are wonderful starting points but that, in the end, nothing beats a personal visit. The Art and Science Group, a Baltimore college marketing consulting business, surveyed 500 high school students last year and found that 65 percent of them said a campus visit was the most influential source when choosing a college.

In other words, walking the paths, talking to students, even eating the cafeteria food, can be the deciding factor between College A and University B.

123456Next »

Post a comment

There are comments on this article, submit your opinion!

Commenting is disabled for this entry.
If you feel there is still something worth mentioning about this entry please contact the author or the site admin.

Ask a Question

You Report

Do you have another point of view, photos, audio, video or more information about a story?

Top Stories

Most Read

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Top Republican lawmakers not attending State Dinner
  3. Islamic center in Maryland keeps ties to Iran
  4. EDITORIAL EXCLUSIVE: On terrorists, Justice recused
  5. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
More Top Stories »
  1. KELLNER: New Apple mouse really is 'Magic'
  2. Massive bill steals show in health care debate
  3. Report: D.C. schools chief Rhee mishandled sexual misconduct scandal
  4. Company that repaired Chairman Gray's house lacked license
  5. EDITORIAL: Gunning for Sarah Palin

Most Shared

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Ego of 'O': It's all about him
  3. Top Republican lawmakers not attending State Dinner
  4. PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine
  5. The United Socialist States of America
More Top Stories »
  1. Tea Party react: Conservatives seek litmus test for RNC funding
  2. Fenty trails Gray in D.C. poll
  3. Religious leaders vow civil disobedience on anti-life issues
  4. EDITORIAL: Death for being a Christian
  5. Islamic center in Maryland keeps ties to Iran

Most Commented

  1. EDITORIAL: Hiding evidence of global cooling
  2. Top Republican lawmakers not attending State Dinner
  3. Work site arrests of illegals fall dramatically
  4. Lobbyists spending big to shape health care debate
  5. Tea Party react: Conservatives seek litmus test for RNC funding
More Top Stories »
  1. Schumer: Dems will pass health bill alone
  2. Green energy stimulus growing few jobs
  3. EDITORIAL: Schumer's change of heart
  4. Islamic center in Maryland keeps ties to Iran
  5. PRUDEN: Obama's due process doctrine

Listen to Washington Times Radio

  • America's Morning News

    with John McCaslin and Melanie Morgan

Blogs & Columns

  • Hot Button Blog

    RNC: Breast cancer recommendations may lead to 'rationing'

  • Belief Blog

    Evangelicals OK civil disobedience

  • Out of Context

    Foods that might kill libido

  • On the Fly

    United lifts some 'award' blocking

  • Technology

    Facebook wins round against phishing spammer

  • Redskins 360

    Cowboys' James dimissses Landry

  • SNOBlog

    Beyond 'Woody'

Videos

Advertising Links
TWT Store
  • e-edition
  • Print Edition
  • Weekly Washington Times
TWT Affiliates
  • Middle East Times
  • Golf
  • UPI
  • Arbor Ballroom
  • Washington Times Global
  • About TWT
  • Press Room
  • F.A.Q.
  • Work for TWT
  • Advertise
  • Sponsors
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Site Map

All site contents © Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC.