Flickr user Steven Isaacson
When you start to narrow down your college choices, you will find that very few if any colleges are the perfect fit in every way. More likely than not, you will have to make a compromise or two. While that is inevitable, it is important to be very clear about what you are willing to sacrifice and which issues are deal breakers.
First, a look at the deal breakers:
Ask yourself these questions before making a choice: what are your must-haves? What do you absolutely need? This will change from person to person, but here are three common examples:
Deal breaker #1 – The college does not offer the major that you want to study.
Deal breaker #2 – The total COA is prohibitive considering your family’s financial situation.
Deal breaker #3 – The size of the student body is either too large or too small.
So what about the things you can afford to sacrifice?
It’s not going to be an easy decision, but it may be one you have to make. If it comes down to the wire, some of the things you should be prepared to sacrifice may be:
- Proximity to home
- Geographical region
- Surrounding area (rural vs urban)
Ultimately, what it comes down to is that you should not compromise on the things that will help you to achieve your long term career goals. However, you should be willing to sacrifice a few short term comforts if they get in the way of achieving those long term goals.
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