Choosing a College Can Be Very Stressful

Here is a framework that will give you some direction in this area

Your first consideration should be your college major. If you are entering college without a preference, this will not be an issue. However, if you already have a career in mind that you want to pursue and need specialized training, this should be the first item on your list.

Develop Your Criteria for Choosing a College

• Location
• Degrees offered
• Cost
• Size
• Financial aid offered
• School reputation
• Retention/Graduation Rates
• Resources (labs, computers, libraries, etc.)
• Accreditation
• Public or Private
• Faculty
• Student Diversity
• Class Size
• Housing Options
• Social Life/Extracurricular Activities
• Sports Available
• Work study programs

Start compiling a list of colleges you are interested in learning more about. It may be your local community college, your parents' alma mater, or some colleges where you could obtain a degree in your special area of interest.

A good resource book for this part of your research is "The Fiske Guide to Colleges." If you have a specific college in mind, you can start your research at their own website. Some websites offer tour videos so you can get the look and feel of the campus without actually going there.

Guidance counselors and high school teachers can give you suggestions when choosing a college. If there are college fairs in your area, be sure to attend and talk with the school representatives. Also collect any free literature available. Even if you are not interested in that particular school, the information you collect may trigger important ideas and considerations for you.

You are now ready to apply to the colleges that made the final cut. how many you apply to is a personal choice. Remember that there is a price attached to every college admissions form you send in. You may want to apply to one or two exclusive colleges you'd love to go to. You never know what kind of financial aid packets they have to offer you. On the other hand, it's always good to apply to a college where you know you will be accepted such as a local community college or state university. However, this is a totally personal choice.

At this point, the next step is to make the final decision. Read and compare the financial aid packets closely. Re-check your criteria. Discussion between the student and parents is critical at this point. However, since it is the student who will be spending the next four years at this institution, all attempts to reach a reasonable decision that everyone can live with should be made.

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