I'm sure you have all heard about the 2-2-2 approach to applying to schools. The technique makes sense, but how do you narrow down your list to about 6-8 schools? Choosing a college can be very overwhelming. There are over 6,000 post secondary schools in the US, so it is important to be picky when deciding on the right college for you. It is important to focus on a handful of schools to be sure you are thorough in your college search.

Fortunately, you can weed out a good amount of schools right away. First, decide on a location. It is important that you are honest with yourself in this process. For example, are you looking to go to school in the city or are you more the suburban type? What about the distance from home? Would you be comfortable flying home for Christmas and Thanksgiving, or do you need to be within a half hour drive of home?

You can also narrow down your list by the size of the school. Are you looking for one on one attention with the professors, or are you comfortable sitting in a classroom with hundreds of other students. Not only should you be aware of your ideal class size, you should also have an idea of the degree you are looking for (Associates, Bachelors). Some schools may only offer an Associates degree, while other schools may offer many degrees up to a Doctorate.

Using these three factors, you can work on narrowing your list of possible schools. Those of you who have already made the leap to school, what helped manage your list of possible colleges?

Good Luck,
Tom