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Preparing for College - Considerations When Choosing a College

Choosing a college or university is often a difficult decision, especially when it comes to prioritizing which school is the best choice. This briefing will provide students and parents alike with some characteristics to take into consideration when contemplating which college or university to attend.

Characteristics to Consider When Choosing a School

With thousands of schools to choose from, how do you decide which one is right for you? Probably the best place to begin is by looking inward rather than outward.

  1. Establish Your Goals and Interests.
    What are your interests? What are your goals? What careers interest you the most? Write them down. What are you good at? In what kind of environment do you do your best? Write those down too. Write everything down that can help you understand what kind of person you are and who you want to become.

  2. Review School Characteristics.
    Look at the different characteristics schools can have. For example, consider the following:

    • Trade School versus College
    • Public versus Private
    • Two-Year versus Four-Year Program
    • Graduation and Retention Rates
    • School and Class Size
    • Location (urban, suburban, small town, or rural)
    • Distance from Home
    • Religious Affiliation
    • Ethnic Composition
    • Single Gender or Coed
    • School Setting (downtown or in the country)
    • Areas of Study
    • Course Offerings
    • Facilities
    • Campus Environment
    • Housing
    • Academic Rigor (How hard is it?)
    • Social Activities and Clubs
    • Faculty
    • Admission Criteria
    • Athletics
    • Cost
    • Financial Aid
  3. Choose the Characteristics that Are Important to You.
    Now that you've examined your needs and interests, compare your notes to the different characteristics that can go in to choosing a school. Then decide which characteristics are most important to you. Maybe it's important to stay close to home, which will narrow your search. Maybe you have a very specific area of interest and you only want colleges that specialize in that field. Or perhaps you want a large school whose strength lies in its diversity.
The choice is yours- go with what seems right for you. Pick characteristics you consider very important in your search for a school (about five or ten, to keep it manageable), and then start gathering information about your options. You may want to start out by checking out Internet Resources.

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