Making THE Decision

I recently was contacted by a student who had been accepted to a variety of wonderful schools, making her decision very difficult. For most students, deciding where to go to college is his or her first REAL adult decision and there is a lot of pressure on how to decide which school will be best for you.

Sometimes students forget the big picture and simply focus on a college's name or particular program. These are important to consider, but more importantly it is important to figure out where do you WANT to live and learn for the next 4-5 years of your life.

It won't matter how great a program is if you are absolutely miserable the entire time you are in college. All schools are not created equal for all students. That is why it is crucial to visit your top choices and try to truly 'feel your gut' as to where you should be.

When I was an admission counselor meeting with students it was clear when I talked to students that were trying to force themselves to like the campus, and it was clear when they were actually in love with the campus. In fact, if I could tell the student just really didn't want to go there, I would start giving them advice on what they need to do to figure out where they should be.

So in short, outline your goals, and research each school until you find the one that will help you accomplish what you want to achieve in college.

Dr. Porter
www.CollegeStrategiesOnline.com