Very rarely are students set on a school before acceptance letters come filing in, so if you are still undecided, you are not alone! Don’t allow the letters to bog you down. The hard work is over. Now, the power of choosing a college lies in your hands. The search for your school should be exciting! Each college tour is a window into your possible future. Plus, you are exploring new places and opportunities. These trips should be treated as vacation, celebrating your acceptance to the school.
College is where you make the transition to adulthood and your professional life. You are shaped by the professors, students, and culture of your school. You can listen to college counselors and parents as much as you please, but choosing your school should be an independent and personal decision. It is imperative to select the college that is best for you.
Here are 5 tips to help you choose the school ideal for you.
1. Know your priorities
You have to ask yourself what you want in a college. Is a huge state school with a large social scene right for you? Or, are you more of the small liberal-arts college type? It is imperative to understand the culture of a school before you choose it. Geographical location, whether it’s an urban or rural college, Greek life prevalence, and many more aspects factor into the cultural makeup of a school.
If you have already decided on your major, take a second look at the colleges that are respected in your projected field. While this should not make or break your decision, it can aid in your education and likelihood of earning a job after college.
2. Speak to alumni and current students
There are some college campuses that give off the feeling that everyone is there because they have to be, and some that feel like a community. The difference is easy to pick up on if you talk to the student body. It is usually easier to find a niche group of friends in big schools, but now is the time to go somewhere that entirely fits your personality.
Alumni can give valuable advice on the student body, culture, amount of work, and most importantly, if the school efficiently prepared them for life after college. After all, isn’t the purpose of college to prepare you for the job market and the “real world”?
3. Tour the college
Take the organized college tour, but more importantly, take a personal tour. Official tours will show you the residence halls, student center, library, and central classroom buildings, but taking time to explore and converse with people, on your own, will give you a more realistic sneak peek into the next stage of your life.
Organized tours have benefits, but they are usually regimented and virtually indistinguishable at every school. Personally, I wouldn’t hold the size of my dorm room, or the amount of online databases in the library, as my deciding factor. Students will give it to you straight. They will tell you whether a specific college is worth your money and time.
4. Think financially
A huge dollar amount, and constant rhetoric about the climbing tuition rates are intimidating, but financial cost should not be the only deciding factor. Through student loans, financial aid, and scholarships, there are always ways to pay your tuition. However, it is important to be aware of your finances and to make the most cost-effective decision.
Annual tuition prices are easy to compare, but there are many important factors to consider. Schools go about payment in different ways. Some make you pay per class, or per credit hour. Others have a set semester, or quarter tuition. Also, you must consider room and board, textbook, and general living costs. While tuition might be more expensive at a school in a rural area, everything from buying a bottle of water, to the price of rent, will likely be more expensive in an urban area.
5. Don’t listen to the stereotypes/rumors
We all know them, and even sometimes play into them, but most are far from the truth. One of the leading contributors to how we view certain schools is the Princeton Review school rankings. Depending on who you are, the phrase “party school” can mean drastically different things. Whether that phrase attracts you or not, the lists are often based on student reviews and have no factual platform. The problem is, they tend to de-legitimize colleges in the eyes of an aspiring young student. I’m here to tell you that it means nothing. Accessibility to parties or bars can give you a social life, but does not dictate what you do in your free time or affect what goes on inside classrooms.
The same goes for stereotypically “smart” schools. Yes, there are universities that are well-regarded in the eyes of future employers, but colleges vary from major to major. The college you choose doesn’t need to have a great business school if you are a biology major. Employers in your field know what universities best prepare you for your line of work, so don’t be upset if you didn’t get into the Ivy League school you aimed for.
Conclusion
Where you choose to go for college should be a personal decision. Take the advice of counselors, teachers, and parents, but it ultimately comes down to where you personally feel most comfortable. Where you go to school will help mold you into your future self. Make sure you love where you go, and after one year, if you hate your choice, transfer! Do not waste some of the most impactful years of your life somewhere that you feel uncomfortable. You don’t want to spend four years wishing away your college experience.
