It’s the beginning of April. It finally feels like spring, motivation for schoolwork has dropped to dangerously low levels, and most importantly, for seniors in high school, it’s college decision season.
You probably have mixed feelings right now. You’re excited to start a new chapter of your life, but you also don’t want to leave everything you’ve ever known behind. You want to be somewhere you can completely start over your life, but you also want to go somewhere that you already have connections with to better assimilate into college life.
Having to choose between the school you’ve wanted to go to since middle school and the school that’s the most financially reasonable is probably the biggest decision of your life so far. Unfortunately, there’s no set criteria for choosing colleges that will fit everyone, but there are the things to consider to ensure that you won’t regret your decision.
First, figure out what’s important to you. Make a list of priorities that you need to have at the college you attend. For some, location in a big city is a must, while for others it’s the proximity to home that’s the most important. Whichever categories are your most important, start by narrowing down to the colleges that fit all of your must haves.
If you have the time, definitely visit as many college campuses as you can, because the vibe of the school is something you won’t be able to experience otherwise. Even if a school has all your must haves, if you don’t feel welcomed or dislike the campus the moment you step foot on it, then you wouldn’t want to spend the next 4 years of your life there in misery.
That being said, you have to think about the practicality of each school. Does the school you like offer a lot of resources for your future major? How good are their alumni connections for your field? How easy is it to switch in and out of majors? Will attending this school leave you with a lifetime worth of student loans?
\At the end of the day, you want to attend a college that will not only become your second home, but also a place that can help you transition smoothly into the working world. Look into internship opportunities and events that the colleges offer for your specific field or any field you may be interested in, because that allows you to keep your options open in case you switch majors halfway through college. And in case you do switch majors, still keep school rankings in the back of your mind when choosing colleges. 33% of college students change their majors once they’re in college, so it’s always possible that you will too.
At the end of the day, the most important part is to view each college with an open mind. Even if you don’t get into your top choice, you will still find a place to call your second home. College is so much bigger than high school with so many amazing people and amazing opportunities that you’ll find your place no matter what. You could always transfer to your dream school from the one you choose if it really doesn’t work out.
Congratulations on getting into college and get excited, because these next few years will be the best years of your life.
