Choosing a College
& the Application Process
What
should you think about when you choose a college? What
are the advantages of attending an SCTEA partnership
college? What
on-line resources are available to help students
find a college? How
do you go about applying to college? How
do colleges select students?
As you begin choosing a college, consider these questions:
Is it located where you would like to teach? Universities prepare teacher candidates with the state requirements for teachers in mind.
Does it offer the teaching program you want to teach (i.e., elementary education, high school science, etc.)?
Will the teacher education program provide a variety of QUALITY experiences?
Is the school affordable for you?
Is it a good match for you as a learner (i.e., class size, support services, etc.)?
Will the school help you find a teaching position and continue to learn in the future?
Is the school accredited and/or affiliated with professional organizations such as TEAC, AACTE, or NCATE?
Does the school provide a variety of activities you would want to be involved in (i.e., sports, clubs, etc.)?
Adapted from Becoming a Teacher, The Educational Resources Information Center
Your high school may be a part of the Southern Colorado Teacher Education Alliance (SCTEA). This alliance brings together 17 school districts, the Colorado State University - Pueblo, and four regional community colleges. By attending one of the partnership colleges, there are many ways we can continue to support you in college as you pursue education as a career. The Colorado State University - Pueblo and the partnership community colleges are able to offer you many opportunities and resources like continued membership in FTEA, high quality experiences in the teacher education program, access to thousands of K-12 curriculum materials and state-of-the-art technology resources, aid in finding a teaching position after you graduate, and ongoing support during the first year of teaching. For more information about each institution, call, or visit their web site.
Colorado State University - Pueblo
Pueblo, CO
www.colostate-pueblo.edu
719.549.2100
Pueblo
Community College
Pueblo, Canon City, Cortez, & Durango, CO
http://www.pueblocc.edu
719.549.3200
Otero Junior
College
La
Junta, CO
http://www.ojc.edu/home.asp
719.384.6831
Trinidad State
Junior College
Trinidad & Alamosa, CO
http://ww.trinidadstate.edu
719.846.5621
Lamar Community
College
Lamar,
CO
http://www.lamarcc.edu/
719.336.2248
Resources
for Finding a College
Peterson's
Thomson Learning
http://www.petersons.com
The
College Board
http://www.collegeboard.org
American
Association of Colleges of Teacher Education (AACTE)
http://www.aacte.org
All
colleges have a process to apply for admission to their
institution. In
general, students applying for admission must:
- Obtain and complete an application from the college. Applications are available by calling or writing to the institution. Also, some institutions have applications on-line. MAKE SURE THE APPLICATION IS COMPLETE AND SUBMITTED ON OR BEFORE THE DEADLINE!
- Pay an application fee that is typically non-refundable. The fee varies from college to college. For example, the current fee at CSU-Pueblo is $25.
- Submit an official transcript of high school records, typically sent directly to the college from the high school.
- Submit the scores from either the ACT or the SAT tests.
Each school may have other requirements such as a written essay or a personal interview. You should check with each college to make sure you understand their application process!
Criteria
for selection also vary from college to college. Essentially, the final admission decision is based upon your
potential for attaining a degree at that institution. College admission counselors base their decision on a variety
of factors:
- A complete and on-time application.
- College-Preparatory High School Courses: Based on your high school transcript, admission counselors look to see if you have taken the necessary college-prep courses that will make you successful in college.
- ACT/SAT scores & GPA/Class Rank: The Colorado Commission on Higher Education has established a standardized admissions index for every public 4-year college/university in Colorado. This means that a particular "index score" is assigned to every possible combination of the value of a student's GPA and highest test score. Your "index score" determines whether you meet a particular college's admission standard. For example, CSU-Pueblo has a minimum admission index score of 84. You can achieve this score in a variety of ways such as a 3.0 GPA & 15 ACT Composite score. For more information about a college's required index score, contact the institution.
- Involvement & Leadership: Colleges often look beyond your academic qualifications! Ongoing and dedicated involvement and leadership in extra-curricular activities are highly regarded by colleges.
- Other: If a college requires an essay or an interview, these are also considered in their decision. For tips to writing admission essays, visit the following web-site: http://www.nacac.com/p&s_steps.html
You should not automatically rule out the possibility of getting into the college of your choice if you do not meet all of the selection criteria. Colleges try to look at each student's talent and potential on an individual basis.
All community/junior colleges continue to have open admissions meaning admission is based on availability of space. They do require a complete application accompanied by a fee, though.
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Equal
Opportunity | Disclaimer
Teacher Education
Program
Colorado State University-Pueblo
2200 Bonforte Blvd.
Pueblo, Colorado 81001-4901
(719) 549-2681
This page last updated: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 - 10:33:26 AM
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