Deciding on the college where you want to spend the next four years can seem like a task best suited to an older, more mature you – a you that isn’t knee deep in high school midterms, papers and other responsibilities. However, it may be time to grow up, because the earlier you pick a college and apply, the sooner you can get on track to being accepted and making your final choice. Of course, you may have an idea as to what colleges you want to attend, but to make that last and final decision can seem like too much chance to risk. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to make the process just a little less daunting. Here is how to decide which college to attend.
First and foremost, you want to create a list of all the college you want to attend. You will use this list to start pairing down your choices. Ideally, you want to get to a top five and then a top three. If you have already been accepted, you will need to get things down to a top two and then a top one. As some of the colleges make the cut, it can be easy to sweat, but you have to trust in your decision.
On top of making a list, you also want to do your research. Sure, you have probably done some reading up on various colleges, but you really want to crack down and read everything you can. You want to read online comments, bios, histories and you want to look at social media pictures. All of these things will paint a grander portrait of the colleges you want to attend.
Of course, you’ll also want to visit college campuses. If you have already visited, you may want to make one more trip back to refresh your memory. When you do go back, you don’t need to go on the guided tour – you can actually take your own tour. Sometimes, this can be a lot more illuminating than having someone walk you around. By exploring a campus on your own, you can really get a feel for what life would be like if you went there.
When you are on a college tour, you’ll want to speak to other students about their experience. If you want to get Case Western’s masters of social work, you may want to talk to other students in the same program. You can ask questions about the classes, the professors, and even what its like to live on campus. If the reviews sound positive, you may have found your school.
On top of everything, you want to go with your passion. If you have a passion for literature, you may want to go with the school that has the best English program. If you have a love for science, you may want to go for the school with the best science program. The list goes on. In the end, you shouldn’t make a final decision until you find your passion.
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