how to make an informed college choice

What should you be looking at?

There are many factors that should go into your college decision making process. Some of those factors are location, class size, available on-campus resources, communities, and financial aid and ability. Whether you’re planning on attending a 2-year school or a 4-year school, it’s important to dive into each of these a little deeper.

things to consider

Financial Aid and Ability

Although it shouldn’t be the only factor in your decision, your financial ability is definitely a very important one. You don’t want to make a decision that’s going to put you in a surprising amount of debt for not very much in return in the future.

Like we mentioned in our message about [breaking down a financial aid offer], you need to compare all your financial aid offers from each college and use that information when deciding. To help break down your financial aid offers, try logging in to the College Cost Calculator, or your adviser or counselor for some help breaking things down.

Some questions to think about:

How much is completely covered by scholarships and grants?
How much will have to come out of my own pocket?
Will I pay the same amount out-of-pocket every year, or will that change?
Will I need to take out in loans? If so, how much?
Are payment plans available to pay in smaller chunks?
What is the predicted pay and job opening outlook for someone in the field I’ll be working in once I graduate? (Here’s a link to a website with some useful information on this!)

Location

Where the college is located might also be a contributing factor. Do you want to be closer to home or would you prefer to go out of state? Would you be more comfortable at a college close to a downtown area or a more secluded area? You should know where each college is and what the environment is like to help you come to a conclusion.

It’s also important to think about travel. If you’re living farther away, you might not be able to see friends and family as often. You might also have to pay even more money to drive or fly back home. Think hard about whether that’s something you’re willing to deal with until you get your degree.

Available On-Campus Resources

Something else you should consider are the types of resources the school offers. Depending on your personal situation and needs, you should consider researching whether they have things like tutoring services, multicultural offices, food pantries, therapy or counseling services, [and more].

These kinds of offices and resources can make or break your college experience, so make sure the school you’re attending has everything you know you need to succeed.

Class Size

You should also know the average size of classes at the colleges you're comparing. Some schools have class sizes that closely resemble your high school classes, meaning 20-30 students in a classroom. Other larger colleges may have huge lecture halls with 100s of students in one class. If you need more one-on-one assistance, a college with smaller class sizes might be best for you!

Communities

A huge part of college is the social aspect. Even though college is hard work and you’re there to get an education, it can also be a very fun time. You want to make sure you’re able to find a community wherever you end up going.

Whether it’s a fraternity or sorority, intramural sports team, clubs, or some other organization, having a community and making new friends is going to be important for finding your place and feeling comfortable on campus. Make sure whatever college you choose has some different communities you’d be interested in trying to join!

still not sure? visit campus in-person or virtually

For many students, campus visits are a great way to determine what your final choice is—it might even be the deciding factor. It really helps to actually spend time on a campus to see what it would be like to take classes, study, eat, play sports, socialize and possibly even live there.

If you’d like to visit a college campus, reach out to their admissions office to see if they offer campus visits. Sometimes they may offer fully paid trips to the campus, with flights (if necessary), food and housing included. If you want to schedule a campus tour visit the college’s website or ask your college advisor, adviser. Even if you’re only able to visit virtually, make sure you know what things look like before signing up for classes!

you've got time

These are some of the most common factors used to help determine what school a student may be the most successful at, but there may be something else that’s more specific to you. Whatever you’re looking for in a school, remember—you’re the one making the decision! What you want is what’s most important.

And remember, you’re not alone! Reach out to your adviser or counselor if you have any questions or need any help figuring out what your final decision will be.

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