Getting into College: How to Select a College

Here are four important factors to consider when deciding which college to attend. There are definitely many more, and I will try to add all of the recommendations you guys are sending me soon!

Cost to Attend
The easiest way to find out how much a school will cost you to attend is to go to the institutions website and look at their estimations. Don’t let $50,000 a year scare you – many colleges offer very generous financial aid packages. I know people who get paid to go to private institutions and 90% of their aid is from grants! A separate article will be dedicated to applying for financial aid, so make sure to check that out.

Majors Offered
You can go to any college or university’s website to find out what majors they offer. Even if you don’t know what you want to do yet, take a look to see if there are any majors that interest you. Also, remember that a major choice does not mean a career choice, so find something you think you will enjoy and do well in.

Size of School
There are pros and cons for both large schools and small schools. Many people feel they get to interact and connect more with professors and faculty at small schools. Larger schools, however, may give you more opportunities to be involved in extracurricular activities, and also usually offer a broader range of majors.

Location
Be sure to check out the surrounding area of the school before you decided to attend so you don’t get stuck somewhere you would never want to live. The area you live in can have a huge impact on your college experience, so be sure to visit each campus before you decide to attend.