As May 1, the almost universal college decision day, rapidly approaches, seniors are forced to decide at what school they want to spend the next four years. This certainly can be an overwhelming decision with the average student being forced to weigh the financial aspect with the academic, the social with the distance from home. Thankfully, there are a few tips that college admissions officers share with seniors, adapted from Martha O’Connel’s NPR article How To Choose A College That’s Right For You.
The first step is to figure out why the applicant is going to college, whether it’s for top ranked academics or a great basketball team. The student should know the pros and cons of their learning style and how they think they will react to certain situations in college, such as homesickness and making new friends.
The next step is to decide the pros and cons of being a large school versus a smaller one. Smaller communities are more conducive to making good friendships, but larger schools usually offer better programs in academics and/or athletics.
Realize that a well-recognized, “name brand” school may not be right for each senior. College is about the experiences had, not about the actual choice of university. The right college for many seniors may be a small school that not many others have heard about.
Individual seniors should compare their GPAs and standardized test scores to the averages of admitted students to see where they would rank in the class, especially if being in the top percentage of his/her class is important to seniors.
Compare the financial benefits of each school. While one school may be significantly more money than others, the financial aid and/or scholarships received may make the school the best value out of all provided.
Realize that it’s okay to take a gap year if need be. College isn’t right for everyone immediately coming out of high school, and taking a gap year gives the senior a year to figure out what the right next step is for him/her.
The last and most important consideration is the overall fit. If the student is not comfortable at his/her desired university, then it will be extremely difficult to enjoy the college experience. Before deciding, seniors should sit in on a class, tour the campus, eat in the dining hall, etc to be sure that their first choice university is the one that fits their personality the best.
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