I have to admit that the entire college admissions process was very fun for me. Unlike most of my classmates, I loved touring different universities, filling out applications, and waiting to get my first acceptance. By this time of the year, high school seniors have already received their coveted letters, but as the May 1st decision deadline draws nearer, one of the greatest challenges is deciding which college is the absolute best fit for you.
Near or Far?
One of the most important things you have to consider when
choosing a college, is how far away you want to go from home. Personally, I knew I didn’t want to go very far, so I only applied to schools within a three-hour radius. Two years later, I’m still happy that I went
to school an hour away, because its not difficult getting home for events,
holidays, or whenever I feel like it. Sometimes I wish that I would have branched out and moved to a different city, but in the end I'm glad that I stayed in a town that I was comfortable with. However, many of my friends at college come from much further away, which
also has its pros and cons. On the positive
side, they were able to branch out and experience a new city on their own. I know a lot of people like this part, because college might be one of the only times you get to go live in a completely new area, so you might as well take advantage of it. On the other hand though, when it comes to
things like winter break, they always have difficulty finding a way home. This brings in some complications, because they have to buy bus or plane tickets, and find a way to get to the stations. I think the distance you
choose to go away to school is based on your personal values. If you want to have a new adventure and live
far away, go for it! But there's also nothing wrong about wanting to stay close from home. You will have a great college experience no matter what!
Large or Small?
In high school, my graduating class was only 96
students. After living my whole life in
a small town and knowing everyone’s business, I knew that I wanted
to try something new and go to a large university. A lot of people didn’t think I would be able
to make that transition well, but honestly I love it. I love meeting new people each day and
taking advantage of the countless opportunities my school provides. While I love the large-scale atmosphere, a
lot of people believe in the “you’re just a number”
mentality. This doesn’t personally
bother me, but I know many people feel like they get lost in the shuffle
in large classes, especially if they are struggling in the subject. As for smaller sized colleges, I don’t
have any personal experiences at one, I know that it’s a much more personal
experience. Your classes are small, you
recognize everyone around campus, and you can have closer
relationships with your professors. Just
like your preferred distance from college, I think the size also depends on
what you want out of your college experience.
Do they offer my major?
When I was choosing a college, I had a difficult time
because many schools didn’t offer the speech pathology major. I had applied to a lot of
liberal arts schools, but they were all ruled out because my major is often
only offered at larger universities. Basically
in the end, the biggest decision you have to make is if your school offers your
major or career paths that you are interested in. There is also nothing wrong with being undecided
about your major, but I would have been in trouble if I went to a
liberal arts school and later discovered that my passion is speech pathology. Everyone is different, so if you know that
you absolutely want to study something in the liberal arts, then you have a lot of
options for smaller schools that allow you to explore many subjects. If you are interested in science, health, or
technology, then it’s better to look into larger universities that provide research opportunities and internships.
However, if you are like me and are undecided until the last minute, then I would definitely suggest going to medium or large sized universities that offer majors in all areas. A big thing to remember, is if you go to
college and don’t like what you are studying, you can always pick a different
major! It’s all about picking something that makes you happy. Personally, I
think choosing a career path at 18 is way too much pressure, because you might not know where your true passions are yet!
Tuition, Tuition,
Tuition
Although I said your major is the biggest college decision maker,
tuition plays an equally large role.
After you narrow down your college choices, really take a look into
which ones will have better affordability.
(Spoiler alert: they are all pretty expensive) In general, state schools tend to be the
cheapest, followed by larger universities in the middle, and private schools being the most
expensive. While a lot of private
schools seem super expensive at first, once you factor in financial aid
and the scholarships that they usually give, these schools tend to be only a little bit more expensive than your other options. From personal experience, the larger
universities and state schools usually don’t have the funds to give away tons
of scholarships, so their tuition prices are about the same for each student. One thing to keep in mind about
state schools, is that their tuition is more expensive for out of state
students. This relates back to deciding
about how far you want to go to school, because if you end up crossing state
lines, then you might have to pay a lot more money. Many people I know that went to a different
state ended up going to private schools, because they were the same price for
everyone. While tuition may be a deal
breaker for some schools, don’t be discouraged if your dream college is too
expensive. As long as you apply for
scholarships and fill out your financial aid form, there’s a chance that costs
may become a little more bearable!
Lastly, choose where
you are happy!
In the end, when you decide on a college, you should just
focus on where you feel comfortable. I
knew as soon as I went on a tour to my college, that it was the perfect place
for me. When I was walking around
campus, I could just picture myself going to school there, which I couldn’t
imagine at some of my other options.
Keep in mind that you will spend the next four years of your life here,
so make sure it’s somewhere you can excel at!
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