Choose the Best College for You

When choosing a college, first consider the following aspects of a school. Then order those aspects and compile a list of schools that meet the numberonepriority. From there, narrow the list down by checking out Web sites, view books, and, finally, the campus itself.

Count the cost. Consider not only how much the college or university will cost (taking into account out-of-state tuition, if applicable), but also the probability you'll get scholarships, grants, or some other form of financial aid. Go beyond the school's stats on how much aid they give out and what percentage of students receive aid, to evaluate the list of scholarships and other forms of aid; which ones are you eligible for? Which are you likely to be awarded based on your FAFSA?

Ask questions, too, about financial aid in following years. Many colleges offer potential freshmen attractive aid packages, only to decrease the aid in later years. Ask about the aid seniors receive, as well as what you're likely to get as a freshman.

Maximize your major. What is the school's reputation for your selected major? How well do the available majors align with what you want to do with your life? What classes will you take and what practical experiences will you be exposed to? Colleges love to list off the prestigious places graduates have gone to work; paired with statistics of how many graduates or get accepted to grad school right out of college, this name-dropping sounds impressive. But look closer. Ask for a list of where all graduates from the last year or two work; this will reveal what the average graduate does with a degree from the college.

Keep in mind, also, that what you want to do now is a valid consideration, but your plans may not remain the same all your life. In fact, you may change your career goals after only a few months of college classes. The specific major is a huge consideration, but so is the overall quality of the academic education offered by the college. If you change your major halfway through sophomore year, you'll want an engineering department that's just as good as the literature department in which you originally enrolled.

Size it up. The larger a university, the more opportunities you'll likely be exposed to; on the other hand, the smaller a college, the more chance of knowing a lot of your peers and having shots at leadership positions. Large universities mean huge classes (especially the first year or two) taught by graduate students you never know; small schools mean classes are sometimes cancelled because of low enrollment or pulled funding.

Pace yourself. While it may seem appealing, at first, to attend school on the other side of the country from your parents, when fall break rolls around and all the other students drive two hours to go home while you stay in the dorm and study, you may change your opinion. Be realistic about your personality and your preferences when deciding how far to stray from your homeland.

Another tip: Never - repeat, never - choose a college based on who's going there. Staying connected with high school friends by selecting the same college is just lame. So is intentionally attending the same college as a high school boyfriend or girlfriend. Realize that you'll make lots of new friends in college, and the close high school friends will stick with you no matter how far apart you are. And as far as romantic relationships, as hard as it is to hear, very few survive the college years, whether you attend the same school or not. If you are meant to be together, you'll make a long-distance relationship work, and you'll be stronger for it.

Control climate. This goes beyond scoping out all the beach schools in the country. If you are always cold, think about attending college in a warm climate. If you have Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), go someplace sunny. If snowboarding is a major hobby, head north. Climate is probably not the primary consideration for what college to attend, but it should be in your thoughts. For one thing, students often settle down post-graduation in the same area they attended college in; for another thing, you'll probably be outside a lot more in college than in high school because of extracurricular activities and having to walk everywhere you go on campus.

Examine the extras. You'll spend a chunk of time in class, but likely you'll also spend a large portion of your college years doing things other than studying. What activities do you want to participate in? Check out extracurricular activities the college offers, professional or personal organizations hosted on campus or nearby (including religious groups, if that's important to you), and informal activities students participate in (pick-up basketball every Friday, picnicking on the green, etc.).

Be a sport. If you're an athlete (or would like to be an athlete), find out about the school's athletic programs, both intercollegiate (competitive play between schools) and intramural (teams within the college that compete with each other). Find out how easy it is to get on the team, what scholarship opportunities are available (either explicitly or implicitly), and how well the team competes. Check out the school or city newspaper archives (available online with most papers) to discover any problems or successes the team has had in the past. Ask, also, about the future of the team you're interested in, lest you show up with glove in hand, only to find that the baseball team has been disbanned.

Look ahead. If you think there's the least chance you may want to continue your education past your undergraduate degree, check out universities that have graduate programs easily accessible to students who attend the school for undergrad. Many schools have five-year programs that allow you to earn a bachelor's and a master's degree. Others give preference in grad school admissions to students who attended the university as an undergrad. Still others have deals with other universities to give students preference for graduate school.

Check condition. Physically go to the university or college you're interested in and go inside the buildings you'll be in as a student. Stay overnight in a dorm room; don't settle for seeing a model room. Ask questions about how quickly repairs are done and when renovations in progress will be completed. Don't be embarrassed to ask critical questions, such as why a building smells bad or when the couches in the library will be replaced. You may want to seem cool and savvy on your visit, but once you're sitting in that building or on those couches day after day, you'll regret not raising a concern sooner.

Grasp the intangibles. Each school has its own way of doing things, from the layout of the cafeteria to the decoration in the dorms. Think realistically, in terms of what features will matter to you on a day-to-day basis. Fifty choices in the cafeteria may seem impressive, but will you daily resort to eating peanut butter sandwiches because 49 of the choices are unappealing? Picture yourself living on this campus for four years, and decide if that's a picture you like.