College can be a really scary step in life and can even be scary to think about, but for most people, college is very important to think about because it guides them to their future and it makes people so much more independent. College is so different from high school, it opens up new doors that high school doesn’t. It’s key to know what you are getting yourself into by choosing a college. College is a whole new atmosphere and it can be challenging, so it is most important to have friends and family on your side when choosing the right college for you because they can help along the way. College can be very expensive for some families, but there are many scholarships and grants to apply for to help with the expenses. But, maybe college isn’t for you and you are planning on working full time or going into the military, and that is totally okay. For those who are choosing to go to college and want to know what aspects to consider, this article will be a good read for you. 

First thing to consider is the location of the college campus, such as how far you are willing to be from home. It is good to consider the distance you will be from your home because family and friends may want to visit. If you are considering going to school out of the country, you should consider the expenses of flights when coming home and then back to school for breaks and holidays, as well as family or friend visits. If you are looking at a school closer to home, maybe consider if you will be coming home too much or if your parents will be coming to visit frequently, which may not be good for some people. Also look at if the campus is close to anything fun, like social clubs, good food places, or things like bowling or laser tagging. Those things are good to consider because it can positively influence your college experience. Overall, just make sure you are prepared for how close or how far you will be from home and the surroundings of the campus.

Second thing you might want to consider is the amount of diversity within a school. On most college websites it shows percentages of the amount of different races attending the school. So, that could be something important to look at if diversity is important to you. Diversity might matter to some people because it is good to be around people you may have never hung out with and learn different cultures from other people. Diversity at a school allows you to expand your horizons and learn new things about other people that you may not be used to, and that is a cool thing. So, if diversity is important to you, this would be a good thing to consider when choosing a college. 

A third thing to consider is financial aid options, such as if the school offers enough financial aid options to you. This is very important to people if they want to go to a very expensive school but just can’t afford it. A lot of people end up in this situation and it can create hardships on families. But, to prevent that from happening make sure to look at all the financial aid options. First, see if you could see yourself attending the school without financial aid. If that is not possible then see what financial aid options are available for you. Once you have discovered your possible financial aid options, see what the actual cost will be to attend the school once financial aid is taken into account. 

Remember, when choosing a college make sure to consider every single aspect, not just the three in this article. Other aspects to consider can be the amount of spirit that school has, such as tailgates and games, campus size (population size), housing options, or variety of greek life. In the end, it’s all up to what you want.

Citations 

“Academics Aside: 10 Factors to Consider in Choosing a College.” Fastweb, www.fastweb.com/college-search/articles/academics-aside-10-factors-to-consider-in-choosing-a-college.