College Comparison Worksheet Pdf

[Sergei Chime]

Ifyour student is like most, they need to take a hard look at everything the school has to offer, what it will cost to attend, and their odds of being accepted. This is especially true if your student has a limited amount of money to spend on application fees, making it a priority that they make smart choices from the beginning.

Luckily, it is possible to build a solution that can serve as a college comparison spreadsheet template this year and for years to come, should they need to revisit their options or simply want to pass it down to a younger sibling.

If your student needs a robust college planning spreadsheet, they need to track the right information. Everything from the size and location of the school to admission requirements to costs is worth listing if they want to make a comparison.

By focusing on being organized from the beginning, your student will have an easier time collecting the data. Then, when it comes time to make a college decision, they will have all of the critical information available in one place.

Next, your student should include details regarding certain admissions requirements and data to help them determine whether they can land merit-based scholarships from a particular school. Here are a few to add:

The other details make comparing their chances of getting merit-based aid easier, including if there is no financial need. For example, if your student is in the top 25th percentile, they are much more likely to receive merit aid money.

However, they should feel free to define a few personal measures as well, such as whether certain amenities are available, to examine points they value. If they score multiple criteria, they can also add an extra column that calculates an average, to make comparison simpler.

Details about what the school itself offers, the size of the student body, and location gives your student the ability to consider their quality of life and the educational experience while attending the school.

Data about the total costs, financial aid packages, and chances for merit-based awards allow the document to work as a college cost comparison spreadsheet, which helps your student to determine affordability.

In the end, a college comparison spreadsheet is only valuable if the data is accurate. Selecting reputable and reliable sources is a must. Otherwise, flawed information could lead your student to make a decision based on an inaccuracy.

In most cases, schools provide financial details in sections dedicated to costs and financial aid, usually in a subsection of the admissions portion of the website. There are rules about how a college can advertise its prices, so accuracy is typically a priority.

Another great source of information is the Big Future section of the College Board website. The site provides details on nearly any school, including data on the student body, costs, average financial aid packages, application deadlines, unique features, accreditation, and more.

No matter which sources your student chooses, they always need to scan the websites for any fine print. If there are caveats associated with the data, they should be listed on the webpage. Your student may need to scroll to the bottom of the page to see if there are any notes or look for small numbers next to a claim that relates to a footnote.

First, should their computer completely crash (such as from a dreaded hard drive failure), their spreadsheet is gone. While that may not hurt if they just created it, after they spend a few hours adding data, it could be a massive loss.

Today, nearly everyone has at least some cloud storage. Google account holders get some automatically, as well as Amazon Prime account holders. Microsoft Windows users can use the One Drive feature too. However, your student could also open up a free Dropbox account if they only need a little storage.

Many cloud storage systems can be accessed from nearly any device, anywhere. Most come with mobile apps, meaning your student can get to (and potentially edit) their college comparison worksheet from their smartphone.

One of the best things about the document your student creates is how easily it can become a college selection spreadsheet. Whether your student uses Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, the result is a highly sortable and filterable spreadsheet.

In Google Sheets, your student simply goes to the Data tab (sixth menu option from the left) on their college selection worksheet to sort by a chosen column or filter based on specific criteria. For Microsoft Excel users, they just need to click on the Sort & Filter option in the Editing section (far righthand side) of the Home tab.

For example, if your student will be working to help pay for their education, that impacts the amount of financial aid they need. Similarly, scholarships that work at any college should be factored in, as well as any federal grants or student loans they will get based on their FAFSA.

While each college cost comparison calculator is different, choosing a comprehensive one allows your student to more accurately examine what selecting a particular school means from a financial perspective.

All of those costs potentially vary by location. For example, insurance always factors in where your student lives, and food prices also differ, including based on the actual stores where your student intends to shop. Sales tax also varies by state and even city.

Your student can add all of these costs to their larger college comparison worksheet, though it will certainly take additional time. Often, your student should use the base information to narrow down their list first, then add these details in to get a better picture regarding their top choices.

Cait Williams is a Content Writer at Scholarships360. Cait recently graduated from Ohio University with a degree in Journalism and Strategic Communications. During her time at OU, was active in the outdoor recreation community.

With so many options available, it can be difficult to narrow down your college options to a workable list. This is where a college comparison spreadsheet comes in; they are a great way to lay out all of your options in one document and compare their advantages and disadvantages. This can be a good way to decide what you want to prioritize in your prospective colleges, and ultimately it can help you save on application fees, which can add up quickly.

A college comparison spreadsheet solves this problem by aggregating all of this information in one place. It mixes official, objective information, such as average test scores, salaries, tuition, and location, with personal preferences and impressions.

It can indicate how well the college prepares students for grad school, as well as the support structures at the school to help students with the application process. If you have an idea of what you want to major in, you might even be able to find the grad school percentage for students in your major. This could be more accurate to your situation, as some majors lend themselves to grad school more than others.

This is the percentage of incoming students who receive financial aid that is based on their application strength rather than their financial need. This gives you an idea of how likely you are to receive aid on top of your need-based aid.

Average percent of need met shows how much of that number the college will cover. Many schools pledge to meet all financial needs, while others only cover part of it. So, schools with a higher percent will have a higher chance of giving you a workable aid package.

But also keep in mind that salaries are influenced not only by school, but by the major and profession you choose. An English major at a prestigious school may go on to earn less than an economics major at a less prestigious school.

Next, you should use a site like College Scorecard, which is managed by the Department of Education. Oftentimes, these sites will have average admitted GPA and test scores, location, and some financial aid information.

Finally, firsthand testimony is a very important part of the process! This can include college visits, Q&A sessions online, and conversations with current students. Oftentimes, you can ask your high school guidance counselor to match you with any alumni of your high school who go to the college now.

The most popular spreadsheet programs are Google Sheets and Microsoft Excel. You can use whichever you are most familiar with; functionally, they are very similar. However, there are a few advantages to using Sheets.

How do I find what colleges look for in applicants? Not every college will look for the same exact things, but there are certainly some key components that you should count on every school to look at closely. Colleges begin by looking at things like grades, test scores, any honors or AP classes you took, and things like that. They want to see how well prepared you are for the rigor of college coursework. Colleges would also like to see that you were involved in some form of extracurriculars, whether that be sports, an academic club, or other school clubs. They want to understand a bit about who you are as a person and how you will fit in at their school.

A college comparison worksheet is a tool that helps you compare different colleges side-by-side to make an informed decision about where to apply and attend. It can be a simple table or a more complex spreadsheet, and it can be tailored to your individual needs and preferences.

Back2College College Comparison Worksheet can be a valuable tool for helping students make informed decisions about their college applications. By carefully comparing different colleges, students can increase their chances of finding a school that is a good fit for them and where they can thrive.

To use a college comparison worksheet, start by listing the colleges you are interested in. Then, fill in the information for each college, using reliable sources such as college websites, admissions brochures, and online college rankings. Once you have completed the worksheet, you can compare the colleges side-by-side to identify which ones are the best fit for you.

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