This guide is to help you decide how to choose a college and the tips that helped me decide.
Deciding where to go to college in August can be a hard decision but I will let you know what helped me decide.
I joined college towards the end of the pandemic and I didn’t step inside a school for two years before that. I was scared, to say the least. When I was applying for College, I just picked my top 2 choices and hoped for the best (which I do not recommend lol).
However, I was very conscious of how I was going to decide what college to pick for the next 4 years. In that process, I kept thinking about these 9 steps that are listed below.
9 Things To Think About When You Choose A College
1. Be aware of the amount of travel required.
When I got my application letters back, I had to take into account how far I was willing to drive back home.
You are going to have to drive back for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, and many other holidays. That is a lot of time being in the car if you are going somewhere 10 hours away.
2. Look into the majors and minors you are interested in.
Every college has a major that they are exponentially better at and have more careers waiting for graduates in that major.
Research A LOT and find out if the major and minors you are interested in, are in one of those colleges you are choosing from. Finding a job after college can be very difficult so give yourself the best chance and choose the college that jobs are already looking at.
Finding the college that is better in your major also means that the college has given more funding to that department and most of the time have better professors.
3. Will your credits transfer?
The last thing you want after taking those AP or College classes is for those classes to not even count.
Go to that college’s website and look up “transfer credits.” You should find what you are looking for there and if you cannot, just leave a comment and I will try to help :).
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4. How close you will live to that University.
I was choosing between a college that was 30 minutes away compared to one that was 3 hours away. At the time I was 17 and wanted to drive home if I ever had an emergency. That decision as well as the others I made, made the college I chose the best for me.
Ask yourself how far you want to be away from your parents and bring that into your decision.
4. What is the “vibe” of students going to that College?
This might sound kind of stupid but it was one of the best questions I ask.
I asked someone I knew from each college and chose the one that was “very nice and everyone has a life.” Sounds funny, I know but I wanted to go to a college and have a job in college. I did not want to live in a college town and get drunk every weekend.
Ask someone and figure out if that is the vibe you want to be around.
5. Is the college affordable?
Okay let’s be honest, no college is affordable. BUT you can find one with less debt over 4 years.
If you are choosing between two that are basically the same but one is just priced higher. Take that into your decision and choose from there.
6. Decide what your goals are.
Pick the college that aligns with your future, your wants, and most importantly your goals.
For instance, if your goals are to get your bachelor’s degree and then travel the country. Then pick the college with the better study abroad program. Or if you love to write. Pick the college that has a writing club.
7. The difference between a college town and a city.
A college town is going to be your ECU – your party school but with less to do in town.
A college near a city is going to have more to do but most likely more violent crimes.
Depending on where you are choosing to go, you need to choose the one that aligns with your goals for college and do research about where the college is located.
8. Identify your wants & needs.
Going to college in itself is a big decision but make sure you are doing what you want and what you know you need. Forget what your parents want and decide what you truly want from a college.
You are going to be at this college for 4 years surrounded by people you do not know, at least go through that scary process because you want to be there.
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9. Identify your future plans (grad school or …)
If you know you are going to grad school or getting your master’s after college, maybe choose the more “competitive” school.
Grad school is very competitive; meaning, you need to have a high GPA and outside curricular. Use that to go into your decision on what college to choose.