A college degree is a dream for many individuals. Deciding where to go is a big deal. It’s a big decision. It can be stressful. It can be worrisome. It can be time consuming. It doesn’t have to be though.
Location Location Location
First narrow down your search by first deciding if you want to stay close to home or you want to experience a new location.
Going to school close to home can have its benefits. Your close to family and friends. You may be able to save on room and board by being a commuter student. Being close to home allows you to stay in an area you feel comfortable in, and be less stressed than being far away in a strange place.
Going away has its benefits as well. Leaving home to attend school allows you to experience new things. It lets you become more independent and less reliant on family. You can meet lots more new people and make new friends that can last forever. You force yourself to adapt to new surroundings. Going away takes away some of the distractions of staying local and let you focus solely on school.
Both can have some disadvantages as well.
Being further away will usually cost you more. Room and board and traveling back and forth to and from home during time off. Out of state schools generally, are higher in tuition for out of state students.
You may have less distractions, but you also don’t have the same comfort zone as being home.
However, staying home doesn’t let you break free of that comfort zone or experience new and different things as going away does.
Saving Money Early On
Think about saving some money on tuition by going to community college to begin with. Community colleges are generally much cheaper and you take the same general education courses you will at a four-year school the first several years anyway.
You can shorten the time it takes to graduate by attending winter and/or summer semesters as well. The majority of the time, a community college is closer to home.
Thinking of Your Future
Think about what you want to do once college is over. This will help you determine what kind of degree you will likely pursue. Once you’ve figured this out it can help you narrow your choices down to the schools that offer comparable degrees. Unfortunately, not every school closest to your home will have what you want.
Once you narrow your list down to a few top schools, schedule a visit. Most colleges have days you can go wonder around the campus and meet with school officials and speak one on one with professors, financial aid departments, etc. Take advantage of these opportunities when available. Seeing the school in person will allow you to get a much better perspective as to whether it fits you or not. Just because a school has a degree you want or is popular doesn’t mean you’re going to like it.
Look at the Big Picture
Explore the location, not just the school itself, but what else is around the school. The community, and surrounding area the school is located. If you like the beach look at schools along the coast, if you like mountains look for schools there. If you’re not a cold natured person and hate snow, look at schools in the south.
Going to college is a big step. Do your research ahead of time. You can always change your major, and or schools down the road if you need to, but a little time spent now can save you headaches and lots of money in the long run. College is work, but it can be a fun and enjoyable time in your life. Enjoy it.
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