Tips for Choosing a College

Choosing a college to attend is not an easy task, and there are many factors to consider when making your pick. Should you go to your parents’ alma mater? What about the one with the best student life or athletic teams? Prestige certainly is a factor for many students. When all is said and done you want to pick one that sets you up for success in your career and provides and opportunity to thrive – whether it be by practicing your passions or helps you grow as an individual. Whatever the reason, these tips will make choosing a college much easier.

Start by making a thorough list of schools.

By making a list of schools that you are interested in attending, you’re giving yourself a starting point for deciding which are worth taking next steps with. Decide which ones you would like to see in person and which stand out as your ideal schools. If you’re having trouble at this stage, try picking a few that are far different from each other – whether they’re small, large, in the city, in the country, private, public, etc. Deciding the type of school you want to attend is a good first step.

Do you research on each school before you visit.

Doing research before you visit will allow you to develop expectations for the school. These expectations can then be compared to what you experience when you visit, giving you a more thorough impression of the school. You can look through brochures and the school website, but also be sure to check around online for various ratings and reviews from past students. As always, double check your sources.

Take notes when you visit.

Visiting colleges is fun, so sometimes its easy to forget whether a school meets the criteria you set forth when you’re taking a tour. Bringing a notepad for this very reason can be very effective at allowing you to review the schools after visiting – especially if you plan to visit multiple schools. This way you won’t mix up any information. Then, you can refer to these notes when deciding where you want to apply.

Find other members from the campus to help you decide.

When you start narrowing your list of schools down further, start contacting other sources that can help you get more information about the school. While it may seem like a bother, talking to the admissions officer, professors and current students is the best way to get a true feel for what to expect from a school. Students are the most likely to give you unbiased answers.

Take your own tour in addition to the admissions tour.

The admissions tour is beneficial, but viewing the campus on your own will give you the chance to see the whole campus in a scope more similar to what students experience. View the parking facilities, actual classrooms, and areas that would pertain to your major (if you know your major prospective major).

Don’t forget to ask questions.

You may want to prepare a list of questions to ask beforehand just to make sure that you don’t forget anything. Ask questions regarding academic, financial, housing/food, social, community, athletic, and safety aspects.

For more information about visiting college campuses, read The Campus Visit and Making the Most Of the Campus Visit. Remember, if you can’t visit a campus in person, you can always take a virtual tour of the school.

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