So you’re looking at colleges...

Where do you even start? There are so many options! Do you even want to go to college, can you afford to go to college, what size, how far is too far? Now is the time to start doing research. Look at the differences between state and private schools. Go on the Internet and look for majors you’re interested in, where you want to go. Look at what kind of college you’re interested in, and then find schools that fit your parameters.

After you’ve narrowed the options down to a short list, go see for yourself. Ask about the core curriculum of the school to see if they have a solid liberal arts education. Do they offer study abroad programs and a global perspective? What about sports; are there opportunities for you to get in the game? Are there campus groups that focus on serving time with the underprivileged?

After answering all these questions it is time to aim high and take the ACT or SAT. If you practice the habit of success, these tests, along with your GPA, the application, and essay, are the right way to get into the college of your dreams.

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See For Yourself

When you’re choosing a college, there is no substitute for first-hand experience. Ideally, at some point in your admissions process you and your family should visit the schools on your short list in person. Meet the faculty and sit in on some classes. Meet the students and get a feel for college life. Stay the night with a current student. Check out the facilities or catch a game. Join the campus community for worship, Mass, or a cultural event. You’ll learn more about a college in one visit than you will from its website or brochures.

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What Size?

Choosing the right college is about more than choosing a school with solid academic offerings. It’s also about choosing what size school can best meet your academic, social, and personal needs.

Before you decide on a college, ask yourself if you want to go to a school where you can easily blend in to the crowd and where new faces appear around every corner. Or do you want to live in a community where everybody knows your name? Maybe you’re looking for a little bit of both, a place where there are always people to meet, but you never have to worry about being just a number.

Whatever the answer is, the good news is that colleges come in small, medium and large, so finding the right fit is easy. You just have to know what you’re looking for.

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Where do you want to go?

The journey of a life is, in many ways, like any other journey. For starters, you need to know where you want to go, and you need to figure out how to get there. Choosing a major is an important part of dong just that. What you study in college will impact your life for more than just four years. It will impact the way you think and what you do for the rest of your life.

So, before you head off to college, give some serious thought to what you want your life to look like, what you’re passionate about, and how you want to spend the hours of each day. Then, talk to a high school guidance counselor or a university admissions counselor about what majors will help you get where you want to go.

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How Far is Too Far?

When it comes to choosing the right college, distance matters. Studying in exotic locations might be fun at first, but too much distance between home and school can grow old quickly. It takes time and money to travel far, and depending on how often you want or need to return home, costs add up.

Most students actually prefer attending colleges within 100 miles of their hometown. Staying closer to home makes it easier to visit your younger siblings, see friends, or just treat yourself to a much-needed break from cafeteria food. Some students also choose to live at home and commute to a nearby college. That decision can save you and your parents thousands of dollars, plus ease your transition to college life.

However, it is not unheard of for long distance from home to be preferred. Many students (and parents) feel that greater distances can help a student attain a sense of independence and readiness for the next step in life.

So, when looking at colleges, consider schools close to and far from home. Ask yourself not only how far you want to go, but also how far you can afford to go.