Tips for Choosing the Right College for You

WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU GOING TO COLLEGE?
What are you abilities and strengths? What are your weaknesses? Are you socially self-sufficient or do you need a warm, familial support? Spend time with your family, friends and couselor asking these important questions.

DOES SIZE MATTER?
College is a time to explore, and a smaller community is more conducive to internal exploration. It is not the number of students, but the students themselves and the kind of community in which you will learn that really matters. Many large universities have established "honors colleges" within the larger university for these same reasons.

DON'T CHOOSE A COLLEGE BASED ON THE NAME OR BECAUSE OF YOUR FRIENDS.
A college is not necessarily right for you because its name is familiar. You will find that success in life has less to do with the choice of college than with the experiences and opportunities encountered while in college.A lot of students also make the mistake of choosing the college that their friends are going to. This could be a fatal mistake because that college could be wrong for you needs and wants.

INVESTIGATE. EXPLORE. VISIT.
Look at all the colleges in your area, check out their web sites, call to hear an actual voice to see how helpful they are and if you're really interested, visit their school. A campus visit is the final step in deciding which college is best for you. Don't take what you hear from other people for granted, check it out yourself to get your own opinion.

DON'T LET TUITION SCARE YOU.
Many colleges offer scholarships, financial aid and tuition installment plans. They may even give you lists of scholarships available from area businesses and foundations.

YOU DON' T NEED A MAJOR BEFORE YOU START COLLEGE.
If you are undecided about what you would like to have a career in, choose a college based on their core curriculum. See if they offer a variety of classes to fit your interests. Most college students change their minds two or three times before they decide on a major and still graduate in four years!