For me, deciding on a college to attend was a relatively easy process. I am a proud graduate of Dillard University in New Orleans Louisiana. It all came down to what I wanted. I wanted to attend a Historically Black College or University. I wanted to attend somewhere small where I wouldn’t be just another student in a sea of students. Mostly, I wanted a quality education that would advance and nurture not only my career goals but myself as a human being. I was accepted into Dillard early, and on top of that it was my number one pick for colleges, so with many blessings, my college application process was simple. However, that is not the case for many students.

If you’re among the lucky few who can look beyond the cost and location to where you decide to attend, college is a passport or ticket to excitement beyond the boundaries of what you’ve maybe experienced thus far. It’s a travel guide to the far side of what you already know or think you know. College is the chance to be challenged, not coddled or pampered. It is a time for your mind to be piqued, not pacified.

Does the college you attend matter? Yes, to a degree. There are, without a doubt, future employers who view certain diplomas/degrees as seals or stamps of approval. I like to think of it as a pre-screening process of sorts. Due to this process, many successful people get their start just by who they know. They milk their contacts for all it’s worth, and honestly it’s one of the best strategies for employment after college. But, being at the top of the U.S. News and World Report of colleges and universities is not a tell-all to how one prospers in higher education. Even if you’re enclosing yourself to those schools on that list, you can and should ask important questions that every prospective freshman should know before attending.

There’re many questions to ask, which varies with each perspective student, but here are some factors to keep in mind. Dig as deep as you can into what the statistics that your perspective colleges showcase and do and don’t guarantee. Make sure to treat your undergraduate education as a rare or high class license, before you’re trapped by the strains and burdens of full adulthood and preferably before the costs of miscellaneous items rise. Step out of your comfort zone. Yank yourself if you must. Think about this, If you’ve spent less time in the heart of a bustling city, perhaps think of a school in a busy location. If you are from and only know the South, think about attending school up North. Most importantly, seek out diversity. I do not just mean nationality, ethnicity and culture, but financial background, particularly if your upbringing has been marginalized to upper middle class. Coming across different individuals with varying financial obligations can teach you many life lessons outside the classroom.

I hope all readers who are considering college ask themselves not which school is the most certain route to riches and luxury but which school will give them the richest experiences to pull from that challenges and broadens their minds. In the end, college can narrow the world, or expand it. But the choice must be made now before it’s too late.