Your hard work right through your high school years has paid off and you’ve received several acceptance letters. Congratulations! Now it’s time to make that huge decision that will influence your next few years. Here is some advice when choosing a college.
Receiving multiple acceptance letters can be exciting. But, if you do not have a clear favorite, making this crucial decision, and then the college search process can be daunting. Experts suggest that students take their time and go about the decision-making process strategically. Weigh the pros and cons of each institution to make an unbiased decision.
These few tips may be helpful to consider when making your final college choice.
1. Look Beyond the Statistics
The statistics on colleges are endless. Some statistics focus on graduation rates while others focus on research opportunities. Some even show student satisfaction, job placement, and other criteria. These are statistics that you would have considered when making your initial shortlist of colleges to apply to. Don’t do this all over again. With those acceptance letters in your hand, it’s time now to look beyond the statistics and focus on personal considerations.
2. Compare The Features And Benefits Of Each College
Make an organized spreadsheet detailing the features and benefits of each college. This may be the best way to compare each college against the rest and make your college decision easier.
Include specific criteria depending on your unique circumstances. Features and benefits that are tailored to what you want out of your college will be different from others. In general, some of the more important criteria to compare colleges should include:
- Academics: In addition to offering the major of your choice, does the college offer suitable alternatives in case you decide to switch majors midway through the program?
- Extracurricular activities: Does the college offer at least one extracurricular activity that you will participate in or maybe an activity that you would like to try? Whether you love spending your free time playing lacrosse or you’d like the opportunity to act in a Shakespearean play, being able to participate in your favorite activity will enrich your college experience and is an important factor to consider.
- Student-faculty ratio: While student-to-faculty ratios should not be used as a deciding factor, it will give you an indication of how easy it will be to get individualized help from professors if and when you need it. A small student-faculty ratio is always better, especially if you need individual attention to excel.
- Experiential learning opportunities: Will the college help you get internships for credits and other extracurricular experience that is relevant to your major? Your post-graduate life is important to consider when making your final college choice.
- Campus life: It’s surprising how every college campus is unique in terms of the general atmosphere. Some are casual and easy-going, and others may be more competitive with fewer socialization opportunities. You have to decide what you are looking for and what type of campus atmosphere will help you thrive. Reach out to students you may know who attend the colleges on your list and hear what they have to say about campus life.
- Location of the college: Are you looking for a college in an urban or remote setting? Do you see yourself as outdoorsy or do you prefer to be close to the indoor entertaining that cities offer?
- Job placement rates: High job placement rates may not guarantee that you will get a job immediately after graduation, but it may be best to steer clear of attending a college that has a history of low job placement rates from its graduates.
3. Compare The Comprehensive Cost And The Financial Aid Packages
A budget-worthy piece of advice when choosing a college: consider the comprehensive cost. You don’t necessarily want to choose the cheapest option. But, you don’t want to end up with unmanageable debt either with federal student loans or even private loans. Balancing between features, facilities, benefits, tuition, and the comprehensive cost is crucial. For many students, the total cost of college can make a difference in where they decide to go to college which is why the financial aid offered by each school should be thoroughly checked.
In considering the comprehensive college costs, you need to consider the tuition fees, cost of room and board, textbooks and transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. Then add up the financial aid packages offered to you and your finances and figure out how much in student loans you will need to take to attend that particular college.
There is no one right decision when it comes to financial decisions. Some students may decide to go with their second-choice college because it offers a better financial aid package as compared to their first-choice college, while another student may decide differently. Look at the scholarship opportunities each school has.
What is important is that you have a clear idea of how much it is going to cost you to attend each school. Weigh your options carefully before making your final decision. It may be worth choosing a more expensive school if their state-of-the-art research facilities justify the higher cost, but you may not want to pay those additional fees for more luxurious dorm facilities.
4. Don’t Base Your Decisions on Someone Else
Making a major life decision, such as a college selection, based on somebody else’s opinion can be a huge mistake. Other students may experience things differently from you. Your best friend may persuade you to attend or not attend a certain college. But your academic career is different from theirs. Your friend may like large universities while you like smaller schools. Just because it is not right for somebody else, does not mean it is not right for you. Don’t cross it off your list just yet.
The best way to get a second opinion is to do a final college visit. Several colleges have special college days for accepted students. Campus visits are a great time to go and get a closer first-hand look and solidify your choice, especially if you have a dream college. Pay close attention to how you feel as you walk around the campus. Talk to the student body and professors, tour the residence halls, and take in the campus environment. Don’t be afraid to ask specific questions and get all of your questions clarified.
5. Explore the Outside City
Yes, your future college campus may be the most beautiful campus you have ever seen. But what about the places outside of the school? When you’re touring colleges, explore the nearby grocery stores, coffee shops, parks, and overall community. You won’t be spending all your time on campus so knowing the city outside of your school is an important factor in your decision.
Your College Choice is Yours to Make
As high school seniors and incoming freshmen, you want to make the right decision about which school to attend. Above all, keep in mind that your college experience will shape your career and the rest of your life. Your final college choice must truly be your decision and nobody else’s. Take advice when choosing a college from family and friends, but don’t let anyone talk you into making a decision that is not truly yours.
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