• College Planning and Selection

    College Selection

    Factors for selecting a college or university include:

    • Type of college                                      
    • Majors/academic programs
    • Size of college
    • Co-curricular offerings
    • Geographic location         
    • Educational options
    • Size/type of college setting   
    • Social/residential life opportunities
    • Admissions requirements
    • Faculty
    • Degree of selectivity
    • Religious affiliations
    • Cost of college                                                  
    • Career Placement Services

    Information about these and other important considerations can be obtained from Naviance, college reference guides, college websites, college admissions representatives, your school counselor and computer searches. Take full advantage of the resources on hand in the College and Career Center at EBHS and Churchill to assist you in this process.

    Types of Colleges and Universities

    County College

    Some students find that their plans to attend college are better fulfilled at a county college. The Class of 2019 enrolled 96 students in two-year colleges with 82 attending Middlesex County College.

    Study at a county college can lead to a certificate or an Associate’s Degree in a specific career field or is used as a stepping stone to a four-year college.   Success in courses at a county college will provide students the opportunity to transfer into a four-year institution as juniors, making it possible to earn a Bachelor’s Degree after four years of study.   Many county colleges have established articulation agreements with four-year colleges that will make it easier for students to transfer.  Please see information on the College Pathways dual-enrollment providing opportunities to earn college credit while in high school.

    Generally speaking, county colleges do not require 16 Carnegie units or even college entrance exams. Depending upon the course of study, however, there may be specific course work required at the high school level, or special entrance tests for certain programs.  Students are required to take the ACCUPLACER in addition to any other placement tests. It is essential that you take the ACCUPLACER seriously to avoid remedial courses that can extend the number of years needed to complete an Associate’s Degree.  Presently, students who score 540 on the SAT in critical reading or 530 in mathematics will be exempt from taking the ACCUPLACER in that area.

    Four Year College

    Students planning on applying to four-year colleges will want to take a competitive academic program that is challenging and prepares them for the rigors of higher education.  There is not one program that is right for everyone, but students should bear in mind the following:

    Admission to college is based on a portrait of the applicant obtained from a review of:

    • The scholastic record (rigor of courses taken, final grades earned, grade point average and number of Carnegie units accrued)
    • Results on college admissions tests, such as the SAT, ACT and SAT Subject Tests
    • Recommendations written on behalf of the student
    • The quality, not quantity, of participation in extracurricular and community activities
    • Personal interviews
    • Content and presentation of the written application, including any required essays

    Historically, East Brunswick graduates matriculate and graduate from a wide range of higher educational institutions.

    Transcripts

    A transcript of grades received from ninth through twelfth grades is maintained by the school counseling department. Transcripts are sent to colleges, business and technical schools, upon written request of parent (or student if 18 years of age).