How to Choose a College: Making the Right Decision for the Next Four Years

When I was in high school I don't think I could have cared any less about the college decision process. As far as I was concerned I was going to move back to my old state of residence and go to school with my friends. Well, my lack of planning certainly came back to bite me in the ass when after I had gotten into the only school I applied to I realized the true cost of an out of state tuition and that funding all of the debt wouldn't be worth it. Lucky for me the school in the city that I live in was still taking applications and I got accepted...in June. I tell this story not only to single out my idiocy but to drive home the point that the decision on where to go to school should not be made on the basis of where your friends are going or where your boy/girlfriend is going. When deciding on a school weigh all of you options and decide on the place that is most comfortable to you, let's go over some things that you should consider.

What are you going for?

The answer to this question doesn't need to be a specific major or activity but you need to have a sense of purpose and not go to college just to be there. If it isn't clear on why you want to go to school perhaps it might be best to take a year off before registering for any classes. If however you do decide that you would like to attend right after high school and don't have a major in mind do yourself a favor a sign up for a variety of courses your first year and worry about major requirements later on. During my Freshman year I took only the classes that sounded the most interesting to me and not only did it give me exposure to many different topics it also kept my grades up. That is something first year students tend to overlook, the transition in the amount of work between high school and college. If you are already interested in something it makes it that much more easier to drag your ass out of bed and go to class and much more likely that you will do your work.

What kind of experience are you looking for?

Are you the type of person who likes quieter surroundings with less people or would you rather be in a big college town where you might not ever see a fellow classmate more than once? The size of the school is important not only socially but also academically. It gets difficult to meet your professors and have a closer working relationship with them when there are 200-300 other students in your class. What about the location of the school? Are you going to move across the country to experience new things and be fine with the distance? If you stay close to home will you miss out on things? What about the weather? I've lived in the south pretty much my whole life so even if I would have applied to more school I doubt that I would have moved up north because I don't like a colder climate. It may sound stupid to weigh climate as part of your decision but you're going to be there for four years you should enjoy where you live (note: I wouldn't over weigh this in a decision but if two schools are even this could be a deal breaker).

Find out what kind of social life you would have at the school. Are athletics a huge deal? Parties? What is there to do in and around campus? It would probably a disappointment if you arrived your first week and found out there was nothing to do but sit in your room and read your books. Try narrowing down your choices of schools to two or three and then start going on campus visits if you have the opportunity. You may find that your decision becomes quite clear after spending some time on the campus, whether one school was a really great visit or you found out that the school you had your eye on isn't all that great. There is no substitute for visiting the place and seeing it with your own eyes don't rely on what you have heard from other people because they will have their own bias and reasons for loving/hating a school.

This also applies to rankings and schools that you think would look good on some future resume. Don't assume that a school is no good academically just because it made a 'party' school list and don't push yourself into crazy amounts of debt just to attend an 'elite' institution. Just because a place has a big name doesn't mean it's a good fit for you socially, academically, or financially and you'll quickly learn it isn't fun coming out of school with $50K plus in debt tied around your neck. Which brings me to....

How much does it cost?

If you're filthy rich then this doesn't matter that much but for everyone else the financing of your education is a big deal. When I was looking to go to school out of state they were sending me estimates of 25-30 thousand dollars a year when everything was taken into consideration (tuition, room, board, etc.) but in-state I won't pay that in four years, in fact with grants I should finish with under 10 grand in student loans to repay. Think about that even if I cut my costs way down at an out of state school I would still owe over 50 thousand dollars! In this job market unless you get very lucky your starting salary isn't going to be that high and that's a whole years worth of work just to equal your debt. Then add on all your living expenses and you're going to be staring down student loan payments for years. Don't get discouraged though, it just means that you need to research about possible aid your school offers or scholarships that are available for you to pursue. With that said keep in mind schools budgets have been slashed and tuition is going up so that means even less money is being given out as pure aid that you don't have to pay back. Ask yourself if that debt is something that you really want to have looming on the horizon as an 18 year old or could you still get a quality education and have fun a some place more affordable?

This isn't a full list of factors that you need to consider when making a choice on a college but you get the idea of where your mind needs to be. Clear your mind of everything you think college is going to be based on what you have seen on TV or in a movie because most of it is bull shit. Make the choice that you want and don't make a decision without taking in and processing tons of information about the place. You may come to find out that after all of this time and research that you want to transfer somewhere else and that's okay plenty of people do, just try to get it right the first time and I promise you'll have a great college experience.