Step 1: Choose A School
Step 2: Select Individual
Responsibilities
In order for
everyone to do their part on the project, each person will be
responsible for an area of research. Listed below are the
criteria. The questions within each category are
guidelines. You should definitely investigate them but remember
that you are expected
to go beyond them as well.
Research the
college
or university. How long has it been around? Who is the current
President
of the school? What is their mission statement?
What city and
state
is the school located in? Are there different branch locations of the
university?
What are the main attractions within the city? What is the
climate
of the area (snow, humidity, desert)?
ACADEMICS
Print a copy of their application.
What are the requirements for admission? What is one required
essay question? What is the student teacher ratio? Research
the top three popular majors of your school. The links listed
below will aid you in understanding the admission process.
How
College Admission Works
Conquer
College
Admission
Examine the dormitory life and dining facilities. How many dorms
are there? Are they co-ed? How much are meal plans? Do
first year students have to live on campus? How is your roommate
selected? Analyze the sports programs that are available.
How many are there? Pick one and conduct an overview of their
coach, team, and record. Give
an overview of an extracurricular activity
(clubs, intramural
teams, etc.)
that you are interested in.
Part I
How much does the school cost a year (don't forget to take out-of-state
tuition into account as well)? Estimate the cost of books for 5
classes (15 hours). Are there any scholarship opportunities
within the school? In addition, find three privately-funded
scholarship opportunities that catered specifically to you.
Estimate transportation costs (at least two round trips).
Estimate living expenses. Contact via phone or e-mail a current
college student to discuss their personal expenses. Once you
have calculated your expenses for one year, create a spreadsheet and
pie
chart using
Microsoft Excel that effectively displays this
information. Use the links below to help you in your search.
Tuition Savings/
Scholarship Search
Scholarships
College Scholarships
Financial Aid
Part II
Create a line graph using Microsoft Excel that displays the tuition of
your school over the past five years. (1998-2002). Based on the
trend, speculate what the tuition might be for the next five years.
Use the cost calculator link to help you in your estimate.
Cost Calculator
Contact the National Alumni Association of the school (via phone
or
e-mail). Obtain the names of at least
THREE famous
alumni of
your school. Consult the local chapter (Chicago chapter) for
current
events and obtain an artifact from the school (i.e. t-shirt, hat,
letter from
academic counselor, etc.)
Step
3:
Obtain
Information
After
each member has decided their individual tasks, use a variety of
resources
to obtain your information. (i.e. Internet, personal interviews,
college catelogs, etc.) Remember to take notes and find out as
much as you can regarding your subject. At the end of your
search, you should be an expert. After completing a sufficient amount
of research on your school, your team should meet and discuss your
findings.
Step
4:
Compile Portfolio Project
Each team needs to gather their information and create a
portfolio. You can be as creative as you will like.
However, it must include all of the following:
- History
- Location
- Academic requirements
- Campus life
- Famous alumni
- Personal expenses spreadsheet and chart
- Tuition graph
- List of informational resources