I’ll be honest, I got stuck while trying to figure out what colleges I want to apply to. I knew a few that stood out to me, but there were just so many factors to consider when applying. After weeks of struggling to pick colleges, I had to go through a list of questions, a list that I am sharing with you all today:
- How is the college for your prospective major? You need to make sure the college you’re applying to has your desired major!
- What location are you wanting to go to? If you really want to go to the Northeast, maybe don’t apply to schools in California.
- What environment do you want to be in during your time there? Think about your surroundings; do you want an urban/suburban/rural area, will you be effected if the college is in a very conservative or liberal area?
- Does the college have the activities you are wanting to be a part of? If you’re interested in playing a sport, make sure the college has the sport you’re looking for!
- Is there greek life? For those that want to be in a sorority/fraternity, try to see how the greek life system works.
- Public or private? Generally, public universities have more people, so that can factor into class sizes. Figure out which might be best for you.
- Male-only, female-only, or co-ed? This is about personal preference.
- Can you see yourself going there for four years? I cannot stress the importance of this. If you want to go to a school that is in an urban area like New York, do not go somewhere that is in the middle of nowhere. It won’t suit you, and you will be stuck for the next four years of your life. You also need to really think about if the people there are at your academic level.
- How generous is the college in terms of financial aid? Financial aid is a big factor in the college selection process. I suggest applying to whichever colleges you want, then evaluating the financial aid given at the colleges you are accepted to.
- Is it an accredited university? Of course you need a school that has credit. That’s a no-brainer and doesn’t need too much extra research.
- Do you meet the admissions criteria? Make sure your GPA, SAT/ACT, SAT subject tests (if recommended), extracurricular activities, and essays are up to par with the school i.e. don’t apply to Harvard if you have a 22 on the ACT.
- What is the size of the school? Again, the size of the school matters. This will affect class sizes and student-teacher ratios. Schools with a lesser number of students are able to give students more attention when in need, but larger schools can have more connections that can be made.
- Are there academic support resources? If you suck at writing, is there a writing lab?
- Will you be able to get a job? This isn’t until way later, but you have to make sure the college can work with you to help you land an internship during your time there or after.
After going through these questions and figuring out what I want, I was able to make my list of colleges. In the end, you only need to apply once, so you should give it your best shot. If the application process is worrying you, that’s no problem! Click here to see a comprehensive guide on how to stress less while applying. As long as you do your research, you have a better chance of spending the next four years of your life in a place you love. It’s up to you to make that decision.
