College

by Jolayna

In life, there are many important decisions that we must make. One of the most crucial choices that we are expected to make in our late high school years is what college we will attend after high school, if you do choose to attend. This can be a stressful decision to make, especially if acceptance letters are flying in from every direction. Many people then wonder what the next step is. How can one decide what college to go to when there are so many options?

The decision of a four year university or two year college has likely been decided before applying. If it has not, and one has applied to both types of post-secondary education, decide now. Think about the degree you want to pursue, and what kind of education you want. Do you want hands-on learning and smaller classes? Do you want to jump right into your field after graduating? Choose a two-year college. Do you want large classes with on and off campus learning opportunities? Choose a four-year university.

Once that decision has been made, it is time to actually choose where you will be attending school. Primary things to factor in are the major you want to pursue, location, and cost. If the school does not have your major, do not choose it. Next, check out the location. Do you want to be close to home, or as far away as you can be? Compare this to where your school is located, and narrow your choices down. Cost is a very important factor as well. University websites usually have tuition costs on their websites for you to view from the previous year. Another good resource to review is: http://www.mnscu.edu/admissions/collegecostcomparison.html.

If you are still stumped on what college you want to attend, don’t fret! There are other parts of college that can help your decision, such as checking out extra-curricular clubs and sports that are offered, amenities on campus, and events that occur during the year. These things are unique to each university, and if one does not offer something that is important to you while another one does, that will greatly help your decision.

If you get through all of these steps and still are not sure about where you want to attend, there is one surefire way to discover the college that fits you perfectly: a college visit. Everybody says it because it is true. You get a feeling when you are on a campus for the first time, and that feeling will often let you know where you belong. Colleges and universities have visits throughout the year where they offer tours through the campus and will answer any questions that you may have.