Choosing a college is a tough decision for Oklahoma seniors

BY JAMES S. TYREE Comments 0
Published: November 8, 2009

Narrowing down college choices, figuring out what to study and finding a way to pay for it can be a daunting, overwhelming task. College Bound, a supplement to The Oklahoman, aims to help you navigate a variety of resources that address college preparatory classes, entrance exams, financial aid and more.

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The clock is ticking on Jonathan Cody, a Midwest City High School senior faced with choosing a college or university within the next few months.

Cody said his decision on where to go "is still wide open,” though he is thinking of majoring in mechanical engineering. Cody, a pitcher and outfielder for the Bombers, wants to continue playing baseball at the college level, but cost is another major consideration.

"It can be pretty stressful to find a college,” he said, "but at the same time you’re moving on from high school and becoming independent, which can be exciting.”

More than 250,000 people attended Oklahoma colleges and universities in 2006-07, the latest school year for which the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education has comprehensive statewide data.

That figure included public and private two- and four-year institutions within Oklahoma, but does not include the thousands of others who chose to study in another state or country.

Narrowing those college choices, figuring out what to study, and finding a way to pay for it can be a daunting, overwhelming task.

Katie Cortest, a counselor at Norman High School, helps students and their parents navigate through a sea of college information.

She said the most frequent questions deal with how to get scholarships and grants.

"All these funding resources and scholarships are like a lot of strings; I pull them all together online and I put together an e-mail address list distribution,” she said. "Then anytime I get an application for a scholarship or news of a college visit, I send it out to parents on that big e-mail list.”

Cortest offered a few tips she says can save money and aggravation while boosting the chances of academic success and finding the right fit.

Take the ACT or SAT early and often, bearing in mind that the ACT is far more common at Oklahoma institutions.

The University of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State University and the University of Science and Arts in Oklahoma require a 24 or higher for automatic eligibility; the regional universities expect applicants to score at least a 20.

Find ways to cut costs.

Check for the many available scholarship opportunities by searching online and working with your counselor; they can range from the common to the obscure. Cortest also suggests taking Advanced Placement courses in high school and doing well in them.

"If they take the AP exams and do well, they get college credit,” she said. "So if they score well enough in a subject, they don’t have to take the general education class in college and that saves time and money.”

Cortest also suggests community college as an affordable option for students who ultimately want a four-year degree.

Commuting and taking the same or comparable lower-level classes at a community college instead of a university can save thousands of dollars over the first two years.

According to the state regents, the percentage of people earning bachelor’s degrees within six years who started in community college nearly doubled from 19.8 in the 2002-03 school year to 36.1 in 2006-07.

Visit the campuses one is most interested in.

Cortest said prospective students can hear and read all they want about a school, but "until you’re physically there, examining and experiencing its culture and climate, you really won’t know it.”

Cody is still on the path to choosing a college or university, but traveled long enough to agree with the Norman High counselor when it comes to fit.

"If someone asked my advice I would definitely tell them to make sure they’re comfortable with the college they want to go to, and to take visits before you decide,” Cody said.