Choosing a college is a big decision which will take up a big bit of your mental energy during the time that you are making your college plans.  There are so many different colleges to choose from that you could plan forever without getting to the point of actually attending the college at all.  But the process can be simplified a bit if you look at a few major decisions to help you narrow down the long list of schools from which you will make your final choice.

1.      Location – Geographic location is actually very important in choosing a college.  If you truly don’t care where you live, that’s one thing, but most people have their preferences and you should consider yours.  Perhaps you want to be close to your family (or far away!)  Maybe you know that you are happiest in places where the sun is shining most of the year or where the snow falls thick on the ground during the winter months.  Maybe you thrive in an urban environment or perhaps you know that you do best in a small community or college town.  You can greatly narrow down the process of choosing a college by focusing your search on one geographical region or a certain size of city.

2.      Cost – College is expensive so you should think about what you (or your parents) can reasonably afford to pay for your education.  Factor in any financial aid which might be available to you as well as any scholarships which you might qualify for when considering the cost of the college.  There are great colleges at all levels of cost so find a price range that makes sense for your situation so that choosing a college is a realistic process.

3.      Course selection – If you know what you want to do for a career, then you can plan on choosing a college which focuses on that or which is known for having a good program in that.  If you are seeking a more general education to assist you in deciding what you want to do, you might want to think about choosing a college which has a great range of different classes and degree programs.  You might also consider the difference between starting at a community college – where you can explore options in a small class environment – before moving on to a more focused program at a four year college.

4.      Prestige – When choosing a college, you should think about how much it matters to you that the college has a good reputation.  Maybe you really want to attend an Ivy League School.  Perhaps you want to be able to tell everyone you know that you got into the best program for industrial design that exists in this country.  Or maybe prestige doesn’t really matter that much to you and you’d trade it for a decent education that’s a bit more low-pressure.  Knowing what prestige range you’re looking at can help you when choosing a college.  Also, consider the realities of getting into a prestigious school.  If your GPA is bad and your SAT scores are low, you might be able to wheedle your way into a prestigious school, but it will take some effort so be prepared for that when choosing a college.

5.      What You Want – This is the most important thing that you need to keep coming back to when choosing a college. You are going to be bombarded with suggestions and information during the selection process.  Your parents, your friends, your teachers, your co-workers, and the people with whom you end up in casual conversation as you say, “I’m about to go to college” will all have an opinion on what makes a good college choice for you.  Consider their opinions, but in the end, remember that choosing a college is choosing your own future.  You need to identify what you really want to get out of the experience and make that your starting point for choosing a college.

Choosing a college is difficult.  But you should also remember that it isn’t an irrevocable decision.  If you choose a college and start there and find that it really is a bad match for you, you can always learn from the experience and choose another college that’s a better fit for finishing your education.  Life is a learning process and choosing a college is just one step along the way.

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[tags]Education, Colleges, Universities, University, College, Choosing a College, Choosing a School, Selecting a College[/tags]