What date is it now? The second week of April already? Holy shit, time really does seem to fly by. May 1st is right around the corner and will be here before you know it.

If you didn’t already know it, May 1st is National Decision Day. The day when incoming college students need to declare the school they are going to attend. I’ve been there, twice in fact, and it’s a really stressful time.

Some colleges are quick to get back to you with their decision on admittance, while others aren’t so much. Having to wait to hear from the school you want is hard, but if you have a lot of choices that need to be narrowed to one, that’s a whole other story of anxiety.

How do you narrow down something as major as a college choice down to one? Here are seven hints to help you along the way:

1. Location.

I feel like this is kind of obvious, but it’s something you really need to put a lot of thought into. Think about how the weather is throughout the year and what the living cost of an area is. Always try to remember the little things.

2. Tuition.

Whether you have funds set aside now to pay for college, or you end up taking out loans, somehow you’re going to have to pay for that piece of paper they give you at the end. Trying to be frugal? Go for a public, in state university, or study at a smaller college where tuition is almost guaranteed to be cheaper and knock out a transfer degree. Explore every option.

3. Housing.

Where are you going to live while you study? A dorm? Apartment? Stay at home and commute? In the end, there are a lot of choices and you need to make sure you’re exploring all possibilities. Freshman sometimes have this harder than others as some schools require freshmen to live on campus, yet others don’t care at all.

4. Programs.

If you’re even considering a college, then there’s a good chance it has a program you’re interested in. That'd make sense. But, I think you should also look at schools with a wide range of programs. People are indecisive. You’ll probably be better in the end if your school has a lot of choices.

5. Athletics.

Is an athletic environment important to you? Do you like to participate in sports or be apart of a crowd cheering on your school's team? That’s fair, but not all schools have that kind of athletic environment. Some schools specialize in less common sports, like crew or rugby. Check out what kind of athletic programs schools on your list offer.

6. Clubs.

I didn’t look into clubs at all upon choosing my school, it wasn’t really something I had on my mind. That was until I got onto campus and saw just how many different clubs are offered. There can literally be a club for anything, and hence, anyone. Clubs are a great place for students, especially incoming ones as it gives them connections to other people with shared interests.

7. Food.

Food is love, food is life. Don’t just check out how the campus food is (I can tell you one thing, it’s likely overpriced), but also check out the area. College towns typically seem to have some of the tastiest little restaurants around (shoutout to Bellingham), yet others are seriously lacking in choices. Maybe open up Yelp and take a look around.