Exploring Your College Options (Allee Nix)
When I received my first piece of mail from a college as a freshman in high school, I thought my decision was made. I was honored that an out-of-state university wanted ME and was sure someday I’d be walking around the campus I saw on their flyer. However, later in high school, when my parents and I began seriously looking at schools I might want to attend, I realized their tuition was almost three times more expensive than schools in my own state.
As we looked at website after website for colleges, I learned which details were most important and played the biggest role in my decision (hint: it didn’t have anything to do with who sent me the first piece of mail).
1. Does the school have the major/concentration that I am interested in?
If the school does not even offer the major you plan to study, why would you attend it? College is an important time to learn more and become an expert in your field! If you spend four years taking classes not relevant to the field you want to work in, you will be at a disadvantage competing for jobs or graduate programs when you graduate. Of course, there is always a potential that your interests might change, but I only seriously considered schools that I knew could help me reach my career goals.
2. The location of the school compared to my hometown.
Early in our search, I knew I wanted a school not too close to home, so that I would not be tempted to return every weekend, but also not too far, so that I would be able to be home for special occasions. With these parameters, I found all of the schools in my home state and surrounding states, then mapped their locations out from my hometown. Once I began comparing schools in my state with surrounding states, I saw the huge difference in tuition simply based on residency! At that point, I narrowed my search down to just schools in my state. From there, my parents and I toured schools that not only fit my ideal distance from home, but also some within and beyond that distance, just to make sure I wasn’t missing out on any opportunities.
3. The cost of attendance and the financial aid offered by the school.
Perhaps one of the most important factors in my search was the COST. Talking to your parents about how much they have saved (or not) for your school can be a very difficult situation, but it allows for realistic expectations in your college search. Big scholarship offers can be tempting, but to understand how much of an impact they can have, you need to compare them to the cost of attendance.
For example, if a school offers you $20,000 in scholarships, but it costs $40,000 to attend, you will have to pay $20,000. But if a school offers you $11,000, and it costs $15,000 to attend, you only pay $4,000!
Most schools make their best financial aid offers when you apply, but some are open to negotiations. One of my friends asked her favorite university to match a scholarship offer from another school, and they did!
4. The fit of the school with my personality and dreams!
Although some schools can seem perfect online, you never know how that will translate to real life! I was certain I already knew what schools I would like and dislike before we toured, but things are so different when you experience them for yourself. I recommend touring all schools you are applying to, and scheduling the tour when students will be on campus (not during holiday breaks). Touring will give you a feel for the campus atmosphere and a chance to talk to faculty and staff about your career goals. After visiting several colleges, I had a really good idea about what I was looking for, and what schools were the best representation of that.
5. A compromise of all of the above.
Ultimately, when making my final decision, each of the above details played a role in it, but some more than others. While I thought distance was really important, I drove a little further for a school that had a lower cost of attendance. And while another school may have had a more energetic campus atmosphere, my school had a really accomplished program in the major I wanted to study. I still feel so fortunate I found a school that really encompassed everything that was important to me, and I know you can find a perfect fit for you too!
We love helping students and families through the college admissions process. We have one time sessions to help devise a plan for college admissions and financial aid as well as weekly sessions to help you take each step of the process. We also have a fabulous scholarship database to help you find scholarships for college. Please contact us today, our personalized approach is tailored specifically to each student. See what our clients are saying about us. We look forward to joining you on your college journey soon.