5 Things to Consider Before Committing to a College or University

Once you're accepted, there is more to selecting a college or university than price, location, and housing amenities. Here are 5 additional things to consider.

1. Alumni base.

If the school you are selecting doesn't have a well-established alumni base, you may find yourself at a disadvantage once you graduate. A strong alumni base, in addition to providing fun opportunities to return to campus for football activities and reunions, can also help you get your career started. For example, if many people recognize the school you went to and recognize the program you participated in during your college years, you may have an easier time obtaining interviews. It is that simple.

2. Career placement assistance.

Once you become a student at your selected college or university, you should have access to career placement assistance. Take advantage of opportunities to interview on campus and meet recruiters. If the college or university you select doesn't have a wonderful career placement program, you may find yourself having difficulties getting your career started. Even if it does, you still may face difficulties depending on where you live.

3. Accreditations and rankings.

You don't need to select a college or university solely based on its ranking in your area of interest. However, you also don't want to select a college or university that is at the bottom of the heap either. As long as the college or university has a solid ranking within your area of interest and is completely accredited, you can't go wrong.

4. Study abroad opportunities.

Study abroad is one of the highlights of any great college or university career. It is a corner stone of any solid 21st century education and should be considered as such. When selecting a college or university, be sure to inquire about various study abroad opportunities. You want to be sure that you have many opportunities to expand the knowledge you learn in the classroom by being able to experience different cultures and learning styles. However, also keep in mind that many institutions, such as Michigan State University, which has the largest study abroad program in the United States, allow students from other colleges and universities to participate in their study abroad programs if certain criteria are met.

5. Additional extracurricular activities.

All college and universities are going to have several different extracurricular activities from which to choose. However, you need to consider whether or not there are activities that fit your interests. Also, how are such activities viewed on campus? For instance, some campuses are more accepting of the Greek fraternity and sorority systems, while others are not. Are you planning to pledge or do you have no intention to do so? Finding a campus that values the same activities that you do will help make life much easier.

By taking a little bit of time to truly get a feel for the campus atmosphere at a potential college or university, you will be able to save yourself a lot of time in the long run. Hopefully you will avoid making a regrettable decision. If nothing else, you want to feel comfortable at your college or university of choice.