Senior year of high school is crazy. There's so much excitement for prom and graduation you can't wait. But you also aren't quite ready for it to be over. But the biggest struggle of senior year is deciding what to do next. If you decide that going to college is the next step for you, here are some suggestions that I received this time last year:
1. Talk to your guidance counselor
My guidance counselor senior year was new and I was worried she wouldn't be able to help me because she had only known me for a few weeks. But if you take the time to sit down with them and talk about your options and priorities they'll probably be able to offer some insight that could make the college process a lot smoother.
2. Take advice with a grain of salt
As helpful as it is to get your family's opinion, remember that you know yourself better than anyone else.
3. Don't be afraid to branch out
If you think you're only going to like one type of school, go tour one that's a polar opposite. You'll never know if you don't try.
4. Make sure you find an academic program that suits you
If you find a school that you love, but it doesn't have the major you want, really think about which is more important to you. This isn't just the next four years, it's your future career.
5. Challenge is good, until it isn't
While it's important to be challenged academically, you don't want to go to a school where you'll be too stressed to enjoy yourself.
6. Size matters
The size of your campus has a huge impact on your college experience. If you want to know everyone by the end of freshman year, a smaller school is your best bet. If you want to meet someone new each day, one of the larger state schools might be a better fit.
7. Culture plays a role too
If you aren't really into Greek life and tailgates, it's probably not a great idea to go to school in the south.
8. Job placement
I know this is looking years into the future, but look at placement rates. If a school only has 50% of their most recent graduates employed or in grad school, you might want to question why that is.
9. Location, location, location
Whether you want to be a few towns or a few states away from you hometown, consider what this will mean. Would you be okay with only going home once or twice a semester? Or would you rather be able to go home on the weekends if you feel like it? Proximity to a city is also something that can contribute to your college experience.
10. Stay true to yourself
When it comes down to it, you have to make the decision that is best for you. If that means foregoing your dream school for a better financial option or going to a place where you don't know anyone instead of staying with all of your high school friends at a local school, do it. Imagine yourself 20 years from now, are you going to be happy with your decision?
I know this is an unbelievably stressful time in life, but I firmly believe that everything will work out the way it's supposed to. Graduation day will be here before you know it and you won't know where the time went. So for now, think about what you want your life to be like for the next few years and have faith that you'll end up where you're meant to be.