As we approach May 1st, otherwise known as "D-Day" for college applicants, I can’t help but flash back to the bittersweet memories of choosing my current school. Over the two years that I spent looking at colleges, I visited over 20 schools. This process made these years both exhilarating and stressful, especially since I was not one of those people who immediately knew which school they were planning on attending. If I was, I would not have visited twenty different schools.
Rather, I was the indecisive one who looked into every little factor that there was before determining my home for the next four years. I was so indecisive that I wasn’t able to make a decision until I tore every last bit of my beautifully quaffed hair out of my head. That day, when I finally became bald, was exactly one week before D-Day.
Now that we are approaching this ever-important day for colleges and prospective students, I find it necessary to reflect on some of the factors that prospective students tend to dwell upon that actually do not matter. So, with that being said, here are the factors that you shouldn’t consider when deciding on colleges.
Athletics
For all prospective college athletes, this definitely matters. However, if you are not an athlete, how great the sports teams are should not be a factor that influences your decision. This often will turn prospective students away from small private schools that do not have Division I sports teams. I can assure you that, as a huge sports fan, going to a small private school does not take away from any of the sports that I enjoy watching. If you let this factor determine your decision, then you clearly do not have your priorities in line.
The Beauty of Campus
I can understand why this would be a huge turn-on or turn-off for anyone considering a college. When I was touring schools, I would feel like I wouldn't have a true impression of the school unless I was on the campus. While the campus of a school is certainly a factor, it should not be make-or-break. There are many great schools without a pretty campus.
Location
Deciding based on location is pointless. Ultimately, you might think before you even consider colleges that you want to stay in-state or move on to an out-of-state school. Don't think too much about this. You might miss your hometown, but college is bound to become your new home and it should help you forget about the memories or troubles that you had in your previous home. If not, perhaps you have found the wrong place.
Also, people tend to think too much about the quality of the area around the school. You are bound to spend most of your time on campus during your time in college, so the area around campus should not be a make or break.
Party Scene
You are at college to get a degree, not for the parties. Going to a school with a reputation for having a great party scene is the last thing that you should worry about. If you want to party that badly, you will be able to find a way to do it regardless of the school that you go to. The same goes for if you want to avoid partying in college. If you are so adamant towards not partying, you will find a way not to regardless of the school that you go to.
Cafeteria
Among all colleges, you will rarely find a cafeteria with food of true quality. No matter what school you go to, you will get acclimated to the quality of the food and you'll realize that quality cafeteria food is really not a big deal. In fact, it will make eating out that much better than it was before. While great cafeteria food is a bonus, it is not everything. You should be able to find a way to satisfy your daily hunger if your school offers a legitimate meal plan.
Dorms
You likely come to find that almost all college dorms aren't meant to be anything special. They're just places for students to crash after they're spent from their studies. Are they beautiful? They likely aren't. Are they spacious? Once again, this isn't likely. Will you be disappointed? You quite possibly will be. However, no matter what dorm you live in, whether it feels like a million dollar apartment or an absolute dump, you will take solace in knowing that you are surrounded by the awesome people on your floor who are going through the same unique experiences as yourself.
