The year is 2016 and I’m staring at my college acceptance letters. It’s my senior year of high school and I had just gone through months of filling out applications and writing the perfect essay to send to colleges. I thought the hardest part was over, but then I realized I still had to choose a school. It’s that time of year again where seniors in high school are sitting down trying to figure out which college is best for them, and I’m here to help anyone struggling with where they should call the next place home. Here is how to determine which college is best for you.
- What’s Your Budget
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Going to college is expensive, so the first step you need to take is determining how much you’re willing to spend. Depending on how much you want to spend on the next 2-4+ years is huge in figuring out where you want to go. Everybody’s budget is different. Talk to your parent or guardian and see where their head is at on how you’re going to be paying for college. There are a million different ways to pay for college, you just have to find the best option for you and once you’ve done that and set a budget you can move on to the next step.
- Big or Small School
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Deciding on how big of a school you want to go to is huge. I personally loved the idea of attending a big school. I love meeting new people and having a bunch of new people to interact with so I knew right away a big school was right for me.
If that doesn’t sound interesting to you then you might want to look into smaller schools. Smaller schools are a little easier for people who don’t like big crowds. The classrooms have fewer people in them and there are fewer people on campus. The campus will also be a lot easier to navigate because it’ll be smaller.
- Living at Home or in a Dorm
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Once you’ve decided if you want to attend a big or small school you have to pick if you want to live at home or go away to college. Are you more comfortable living at home with your family, or do you love the idea of meeting new people? Personally, I loved the idea of moving out and having a new experience. Moving out and into a dorm can sound scary, but I promise it’s not. You can find a roommate on Facebook if your school has a Facebook class group set up for that. You can also find one through roommate matching on your school’s website. You can list things like what time you go to bed, how much you plan to go out, what your major is and more! You meet so many new people within the first week through your dorm and classes, it’s so easy to make friends.
If none of that sounds exciting then it’s probably not the best option for you. There is nothing wrong with deciding to stay at home. You save money and are closer to your family. Plus, it’s normally easier to get a part-time job if you stay at home. If leaving your family and moving out sounds too scary of an idea, then finding a community college or a college you can commute to is probably the best option for you. If going away and going on a new adventure sounds exciting for you than a school farther away is the best option for you.
- Country or City
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If you decide that going away to school is the best option for you, then you’re stuck with the question of whether you live in a small town or a big city. What I mean by this is, some college campuses are closer to cities, like how Ohio State is so close to downtown Columbus. There are other colleges like Ohio University, that are more in the middle of nowhere, so the town is super small. I personally love big cities, but when it comes to going to college in a city, that stressed me out. I didn’t want to have to drive through a big city every time I wanted to go home. I loved the fact that Ohio University was in the mountains and everyone that lived here basically attended the school. I loved how quiet it was and how they incorporated nature into campus. The campus was so pretty and old-timey I loved it.
If a campus that’s smaller and in more of a rural area doesn’t sound like where you want to be, then a city might be best for you. If you love the idea of having a ton of shops and restaurants just a walk away and love the noise of a busy city, then a city college is best for you. You’d be bored if you went to a quieter more old-timey school, you want something more modern and high-tech. This can help narrow down your search to a college in a city.
- What’s Your Major
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One of the final steps you need to think about is figuring out which school is best for your major. I was going to put this step sooner, but everything else is more important. I say this because your major can change throughout college, I should know because I’ve changed mine four times. Figure out what type of school you want to attend before you just attend a school because it’s best for your major. Throughout college, you’re going to grow and learn to be independent. Your thoughts and views on things are going to change, you don’t want to just attend a school because it’s best for what you think you want to do. Find a place you feel like you’re going to fit into first, then see how well it does for what you want to major in.
- Which School Feels Like Home
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When you’ve finally narrowed down your search as far as you can you might be stuck with one or two schools left. This is where you look back at those tours you took and see which school just felt right. I know this is hard because I never felt like Ohio University was the best place for me, but somehow I knew it was where I belonged. Go to the school that you think is best for you. Try not to be influenced by where your parents or relatives all attended, pick the place you want to go to the most.
I hope these tips help you guys figure out which college is best for you. This is how I narrowed down my search for the best college for me and I couldn’t be happier here at Ohio University. Remember it’s your future, so do what you think is best!