Unlocking Opportunities: Exploring a College Website

In a recent post, we gave you helpful hints to make the most of your college visit. These visits are vital when deciding between colleges, but even in-person visits leave a lot unknown. After all, you’re only there a day or two and can only learn so much in that time. There is another visit you shouldn’t overlook: visiting the college’s website.

This advice might seem obvious, but college websites contain multitudes of information that many students don’t take advantage of. They are an excellent resource when trying to narrow down your list of colleges. In addition to providing basic information, most college websites will have individual pages dedicated to each offered major. If you know what you’re looking to study, you should investigate these sites. Here you will find information on required classes, scholarship opportunities, and the research being conducted and published by students and faculty. You will also find news and events offered by the program, faculty profiles, and alumni success stories. Like we said: multitudes! 

But it’s not only the academics you should pay attention to. You will also find information about the various clubs that exist within each program. These clubs provide essential social and networking opportunities while gaining experience in your field. Just as extracurriculars were important on your high school transcript, the same is true when applying for internships, jobs, or graduate school. Hint: look for clubs that offer you the chance to gain leadership experience. 

The other added bonus of spending time on the college’s website is that it shows the college that you are interested in them. For more information about this, check out our blog post on data mining and how colleges track your IP address. 

All this perusing might seem overwhelming, but think of it as a research opportunity. Get to know the college beyond what a campus tour can provide. Start investigating early and give yourself time to take it all in.

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