Welcome back!
Today’s post is for you high school seniors trying to decide where you want to attend college. As I was watching The Bachelor this week, I began thinking about how choosing a college from your options is like being on The Bachelor/Bachelorette; you assess all your options, determine what you like and dislike about each, notice or sometimes ignore the red flags, and eventually have to make one final decision. Which college gets your final rose?
Silly, I know, but the processes exhibit many similarities.
As a current senior in college, I have found myself reflecting lately on the past four years. I often think back to my senior year of high school and how I felt and what I thought while applying to college. I also think about what I wish I had known when I was applying, and more specifically, what I should have been considering when applying.
For me, the college I eventually chose checked three boxes that, at the time, were my absolute qualifiers: small, Christian, and affordable.
Coming from a homeschool background, a small college or university seemed desirable to me. Now, I am confident that I would have thrived academically at a larger institution no less than I have where I am now. I wanted to attend a college that, as I said at the time, would allow me to “live out my Christian faith.” In hindsight, I wish I would have discarded this factor since I would have sought out Christian organizations or ministries at any institution I attended. Lastly, I wanted to go somewhere that was an affordable option for me and my family; the college I attend is a work college, where the work hours I put in each week are in exchange for the cost of my tuition. This box was my most heavily considered one.
Looking back, my three desired qualities were reasonable, but I do not think all of them should have been my final qualifiers. After speaking with several fellow students who attend my college and other colleges as well, recent college graduates, and even college educators, I have compiled a short list of factors you might want to consider when choosing which college to attend.
Proximity to Home
How far from home would you be?
Would you want to commute or live on/near campus?
Do you know anyone at the prospective college or in the surrounding area?
How important is it for you to be close to home/family/friends?
Will distance become a financial burden for you or your family?
It is not true of everyone, but many people come to realize that distance from their family and home becomes a cause of anxiety for them. I did not expect to be as homesick as I was during my freshman year, and with time, I began to grow out of this—to the point that I can hardly remember the last time I was home. However, it is very comforting to me to know that home is only a little over an hour away, just barely over the state border.
At the same time, some people I spoke to who are attending college close to home reported feeling as if nothing has changed from high school—they still feel “at home.”
For some people, being in a new place with all new people is exciting, and to those of you who feel this way, I say go for it. If proximity to home is not an issue for you, don’t let this be a factor that holds you back from your dream school! For those of you who rely too heavily on the comforts of home, it might be a great challenge for you to keep schools that are further away on your “maybe” list. Attending a college further from home may force you to push through your comfort zones and meet amazing people you would not otherwise know.
Affordability
Who is paying for your education?
Will out-of-state tuition be an issue?
Which schools might you receive financial assistance or scholarship funds?
What is the approximate amount of debt you will incur over your time in school?
What will be the cost of your living situation and/or meal plan?
Every individual I spoke to for this blog post mentioned the financial aspect of choosing a college. Consider the financial situation you could be in at each institution, and do not overlook this factor. Think about how much you can pay for tuition each semester. Also remember that unexpected expenses do arise, and you may need to make those payments immediately in order to utilize necessary campus resources.
U.S. News outlines a few unexpected expenses to keep in mind:
- Health and wellness fees
- Technology services fees
- Vehicle registration/public transportation
- Textbooks and supplies
- Lab fees
- Athletic fees (Flat-rate seasonal admission to college sporting events)
Educational Opportunities
Do the colleges you are considering have the programs that you are interested in?
If you have selected an area of study already, have you researched the colleges’ track records in the given industry?
Is your chosen major one that you could find at another college/university at a similar or better value?
Nearly everyone I spoke to recommended doing research on your prospective colleges’ programs that you are planning to enter into. Do not overlook this! Your decided major could change after entering college, but for now, look into the program that interests you most and make sure it is one you want to be a part of.
Campus Culture
Do you want a small or large campus? Does it even matter to you?
Do you want to attend a religious institution?
Do you see yourself adjusting well to the campus dynamic?
Do they have clubs or organizations that interest you?
These considerations are definitely important to think about. So many of those I spoke to about the topic of selecting a college brought up this commonly overlooked factor.
Researching the climates of potential colleges you are considering would definitely be advantageous to you. If you have expectations of what your college experience should be like, do any of the colleges you are considering align with these expectations? An example of this might be: if you want to focus more so on academics, a notorious party school may not be what you need—and vice versa. If possible, make an effort to visit the campuses before you make a final choice and maybe even see about meeting with some professors and administrators. Get a feel for what the college is all about beforehand.
I am sure that these four factors may seem overwhelming when you consider each of them for each institution in the running, but I am confident you can do it! If you need to write down these aspects and do more research, do that too! These are just a few things that many people have shared with me to be their favorite and most telling qualifiers for college-bound young people.
I hope that those of you considering colleges at the moment have found today’s post insightful! If you have questions regarding college acceptance, I would love to hear them. For those of you who are in or through your college years, let us know if you have any additional considerations for choosing a college—I would love to share your submissions to my Instagram story! Send me an email at scholarinstyle@outlook.com or message me on Instagram.
Until next time,
Annie Lark
ANNIE BOYD SOWELL 