Flickr user Wally Gobetz
When you start applying to schools or your acceptance letters come in, you may have to make a choice between colleges. There will be aspects of your life that may influence your decision, and not all of them will be beneficial to you and your future. Need some help selecting a college? Here are a few bad reasons to select a college:
Because your best friend or significant other is going
It can be a little intimidating going to a new school, a new town, and potentially a new state. It’s natural to want someone to be there to share it with. However, deciding on that college because your friend or significant other is going may not be the best choice for your future. After all, it’s your future. While the school may be great for your friend, girlfriend, or boyfriend, it may not be great for you.
Thanks to social media, you can stay in touch with your best friend. You can schedule times to visit your significant other at each other’s schools or back home. Skype, Discord, and FaceTime are other great ways to video chat with your friends back home. However, it’s important to keep in mind that you are going to school for your education and future career, not theirs. Do what’s best for you, not anyone else.
Just picking one to get it over with
Selecting a college after all the applications, stress, financial aid packets, and more can be quite a lot to handle on top of your senior year of high school and maybe even a job. However, dedicate some time to your decision. This will affect the next four years of your life and beyond.
Don’t just pick off the list of some potential schools and say “Ah, that’ll work.” Consider each visit, what you’ve read about each school, your major, and more. Go through each one carefully and consider doing research until you know the one for you.
Parents want you to go to a particular school
Your parents may have attended college themselves or just have been told so and so college is the best one in their friend’s opinion. They may want you to attend one of these suggestions. Don’t base your decision on what your parents want. They can provide a lot of advice during this time for you, but ultimately the decision is up to you. Their college may not be the right fit for you or that “best college” they heard about doesn’t even have your major.
You can absolutely take your parents’ advice on choosing a college, but remember that the final decision is up to you. This is also true for your major and minor. Take their advice, consider it, but make the decision yourself.
It can be difficult to pick your college. You may want help selecting a college, which is fine! However, remember that it’s a serious decision. It will impact your education, career, and overall future. Take everything into consideration before choosing. Keep in mind though that it is your decision in the end. Not your parents’, not your best friend’s, not your significant other’s. This is your future so make the choice that you feel is best for you.
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