Academic options: Perhaps the most important factor is your academic interest. If you already have an academic major or field of study in mind, make sure to select a college that offers that major or similar programs.
Accreditation: Check whether the college or program is nationally or regionally accredited by the corresponding accreditation organization. Many employers and scholarships target or prefer students in accredited programs over non-accredited ones, so it helps to plan ahead.
Location: How far are you willing to drive to your campus? Do you prefer to dorm on campus or live off campus? Do you plan to remain in your hometown or move someplace new? Do you prefer warmer weather over cool temperatures, or vice versa? All of these considerations help determine the appropriate location of your potential college.
Cost: Find out what the latest tuition costs are at your college options. Note that some colleges will have different fees for in-state and out-of-state students. You can also research what the costs of housing and living are in the local area as well as local wages. Start planning ahead for how you will cover these costs, whether through a job, loans, scholarships, financial aid, or any combination of these.
Size: Some students prefer small class sizes that allow for quality 1:1 time with instructors. Other students opt for larger schools with more opportunities to engage with diversified groups of students. Check your college info to ensure that the size aligns with your liking.
Extracurricular Activities: Chances are that you will be doing more than just attending classes at your college, so find out what opportunities the college has to offer outside of the classroom. Some things to look into are work-study options, sports, student organizations, local volunteer activities, study-abroad programs, and anything else that you may be interested in.
This list is not all-encompassing, and there may be some other considerations specific to you. Try to prioritize your considerations and group your college options based on these priorities to help narrow the list down. Be sure to also visit your potential college if possible, in order to get a better feel for the campus life there firsthand. For help planning your visit, check out last month’s list of suggested questions to ask at college tours. Good luck!
