What College Is Right For You?
by Michelle R Truly
http://www.dcolleges.com
I always dreamed of going to college ever since I was a
young child. I didn't know where I wanted to go, I only
knew that I wanted to go. I realized there was more to
consider than just books and classes when I my high school
counselor started talking. The big world of college would
be based on choices I made in high school. These choices
could change everything later. Scary!
Choosing the college that's right for you - how do you do
it? Nobody can really help you make that decision. I'll
tell you some things to consider based on my own experience
and I'll share the most important factors in my
deliberations in hopes of helping you with your decisions.
Size
The size of the school is quite important. I visited many
schools, and some were so big that the professors couldn't
possibly have real interactions with the students. Others
were so small that the professors knew their students on a
first name basis, and they had meaningful interactions.
Neither one nor the other is better; the question is what's
right for you? A big university is not necessarily better
than a small college, it may just mean it's more well-known
and possibly more expensive.
Location
Where is the school located? This may turn out to be a
much bigger issue than you might think. Have you ever lived
away from home? Do you want to? How far are you willing
to go? How do you feel about moving to a new state? Out of
state fees are much higher; can you afford them? And is the
school in the middle of nowhere, or in a big city? Which do
you prefer?
Diversity
Perhaps you have strong religious beliefs, or maybe you
feel the need to be around a particular group of people.
If either of these is true, you'll want to find a school
that speaks to your standards and beliefs. As an example,
if Christian beliefs are important to you, you may not be
comfortable at a school that is extremely supportive of
gays and lesbians.
Choosing a Major
Nearly 80% of students change majors at least once. Can you
believe it? Some students do so because their college is
not very strong in the field in which they decide to major.
Other people change their minds. It's important to have a
general idea of what you might want to major in and to
research colleges and universities based on your possible
majors. If you change your major, the first time you do it,
it doesn't cost anything. Sometimes, schools will charge
fees for subsequent changes in majors. If you can't ever
make up your mind, it can get pretty expensive.
So, when you're choosing a college, these are only some of
the things you'll need to think about. Of course, you can
always transfer to another school if you end up at one you
don't like. However, you might have to change your major,
you'll need to make new friends, you may lose some credits
and you'll have to spend time starting over.
These are all things that could be avoided by choosing the
right school in the first place. So take your time, make a
list of your interests, research schools carefully, and
visit them. Talk to students; ask them lots of questions.
If you're not sure, cross that school off your list. It's
worth the extra work in the end!
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