Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a College

With decision day just around the corner, high school seniors all across the country are asking themselves (and being asked) the dreaded question… Where are you attending college? Choosing where to attend college can seem like a daunting task. After all, you’re going to be at your institution of choice for the next four years. However, it doesn’t need to be scary or difficult.

Questions for Choosing a College

If you’re struggling to determine which school is the best fit for you, here are some questions to consider.

1. Does the School Meet your Financial Needs?

   This might not be the most fun question to ask yourself, but it is absolutely necessary. Choosing which school is right for you should include carefully considering the financial aid package that you receive from each. Projected financial aid shouldn’t stop you from applying to a school - you never know if your official aid offer will differ from the one you expect. Additionally, once you receive your package, you can always try to negotiate.
   However, once you have negotiated as much as you can, you need to consider the offer. Although a school may be your dream school, it might not be worth it to go to a school that will put you in considerably more debt than another school. It is also worth considering what kind of aid you receive from the institution. Generally, it is best to use aid that does not have to be paid back, when possible, as opposed to loans.

2. Does the School Have Your Desired Major or Minor?

   Past your first year, the field of study you choose to pursue in college is very important. When choosing which school is right for you, make sure that you note what your desired major and even minor would be at the school.
   Whether or not a school has a major area that you are interested in, or that is pertinent to your career path, is a factor that you must consider before committing to a college. Additionally, remember that the prestige of the overall school may not be the best indicator of its strength for you. If you are going to consider rankings in your decisions, make sure you look at the rankings for your major, not just the school overall.

3. Where is the School Located?

   Students’ location preferences vary, but the location of your college is something that should always be considered. When choosing a school to commit to, consider if you would like a school in an urban, suburban, or rural region. This is a factor that can make a huge difference in your college experience. Additionally, consider how close to your hometown you would like to be.

4. How Large is the School?

   The size of the college you attend can be a major factor in your experience. Consider whether you would like to attend a college with a small, medium, or large population. Smaller colleges generally offer smaller class sizes and deeper connections with professors, while larger colleges may offer more academic programs and extracurriculars or have more research or professional experiences available to you. Medium size schools fall in between and often have the benefits - but also the drawbacks - of both smaller and larger schools.

5. How Prevalent are Greek Life and Sports?

   When choosing a college, you should decide what you would like the social scene to look like. Particularly, it can be helpful to consider how large of a presence you would like Greek life or athletics to have. Decide whether you would like these aspects to be highly prevalent there, if you want them, or nearly non-existent, as these will have a large impact on your life at college.

6. Is it Difficult to Find Housing?

   While some colleges guarantee housing for all four years, other colleges guarantee housing for only your first or second year. For these colleges, think about how easy it will be to find off-campus housing. Consider speaking with current students to understand what housing will look like for you. How expensive will it be, and will it be difficult to attain?

7. Is the School Affiliated with Graduate Schools that Interest You?

   Although it is not necessary for your college to be affiliated with a graduate school, if you plan on going to graduate school, it may be worth looking into colleges that offer graduate programs. If you’d like to go to medical school, universities with strong medical programs may have more research and pre-med opportunities. If you want to go to law school, universities with law schools may have more connections in that field.