Research Narrative Essay

Submitted By amgibb01
Words: 1324
Pages: 6

Research Narrative

In the beginning of my senior year of high school, my magnet teacher, Mr. Gutmann wanted his students to research at least five colleges/universities. My top five universities I had chosen was: University of Louisville, Northern Kentucky University, Eastern Kentucky University, Indiana University Southeast, and University of Cincinnati.
While researching the five universities, I was considering several different things such as: the size of the university, what type of university it is, the distance away from home, the cost of tuition and where financial aid comes in, majors and requirements, and etc.
I wanted to research this type of information because all colleges aren’t the same. Tuition in state and/or out of state are in two completely different ranges, scholarships are kind of complicated to receive due to certain requirements, financial aid is a big process as well too. I just wanted to make the right decision for the next four years of my life.
Mr. Gutmann gave us a useful website called, “collegeboard.org”. It is a very reliable website if you want

1. Size
Colleges come in all sizes, from a school in California that enrolls only 26 students to schools like Pennsylvania State, which can enroll 30,000 or more. Which one is better? Well, that depends on you and what you're comfortable with. Did you go to a small high school or a large one? Did you like the size of your high school? Did you grow up in a city or a rural area? Do you like being places where everybody knows you, or do you like the anonymity of a crowd?
2. Type
All colleges are not the same. Some have large graduate programs and devote much of their time and resources to research. Others enroll only undergraduates and focus their attention on teaching and learning. Some schools have a specialty in one specific area, like engineering or writing, while others are best known for giving their students a broad education. Other differences include whether schools are single sex or coed, if they have a religious affiliation, and whether they are public or private.

There are also historically black colleges, schools with co-op programs where you earn money while going to school, and schools with large evening and part-time programs. The options really are almost limitless.
3. Location
There are colleges in every living environment you can imagine, from tiny towns in Minnesota to the middle of New York City. If you have always lived in the suburbs, choosing an urban campus can be an adventure. But after a week of urban noise, dirt, and rude people, will you long for a grassy campus and open space? On the other hand, if you are used to the suburbs and mall life and choose a college in a rural area, will you run screaming into the Student Center some night looking for noise, lights, and people? Think about where you grew up and how much of a change you want from that when you go to college.
4. Distance from Home
Closely tied to location is the issue of how far from home you want to be. For some people, going to college is a chance to explore a totally different part of the country. For others, they want to make sure they can have dinner with their family once a week, or go home to do their laundry. When you decide how far you want to be from home, think about how likely you are to get homesick, and how much money you can afford to spend in travel. The farther you are from home, the less often you'll be able to visit. On the other hand, with email and cell phones, you can still feel close to home even if you're in California and your sister is in New Jersey.
5. Cost/Scholarships & Financial Aid
Cost is one thing that most parents think about when the topic of college comes up, but did you know that not all colleges cost the same amount? Or that there are different types of financial aid at different schools? Or that if your grades — or musical talent or athletic ability — are good enough you could earn a scholarship?