Deciding on a college is one of the most important decisions high school seniors make in the senior year. Many factors are involved in this process and given the spiraling costs of higher education, every factor must be carefully weighed. Although the final choice may be left to the graduating senior, it is a process that should involve parents and other close family members. By the time acceptance notifications arrive, seniors should have already “done their homework” in learning everything they could about the institutions they applied to.
Costs and Scholarship Potential
Cost is a major factor in making a final decision.
- Which schools offer the best financial aid packages?
- Is financial assistance contingent upon maintaining a certain GPA or working part times hours for the school?
- How much debt will be acquired upon college graduation?
Overall costs should be balanced with the other factors when making the final decision:
- Prestige of the school
- Preparation for graduate school
- Reputation of particular university colleges
It might be most cost effective to attend a university with a larger overall price tag if the prestige of that institution will carry more weight in the workforce after graduation. Similarly, universities with strong pre-law, pre-med, or business majors may open more doors to top tier graduate schools that can usually offer financial assistance or grants that are far more generous than those given for undergraduate studies.
Some universities may have national and international rankings in terms of specific majors. A university’s College of Education may be highly ranked for its particular degree programs even though the university itself is not considered a top tier school. Whether journalism, business, counseling, or anthropology, some university programs, given their program focus, required course of study, and faculty, may outrank similar programs at more prestigious schools.
Making Decisions Based on Four Years or Sophomore Transfers
If deciding on a college is based on the prospect of completing all four years of study at the institution, graduating seniors must be completely satisfied with every aspect of the pending college experience. This includes factors that should have been considered during the application process. Everything from dorms and meal plans to proximity to home is part of this checklist.
On the other hand, students intending to transfer to another institution at the end of the freshman college year may not need to consider every detail, particularly if the goal is to build an impressive GPA in that first year while eliminating core classes that are easily transferable. This plan is frequently followed by students that were not accepted by their first choice schools.
The Role of Parents in the Decision Process
In many cases, parents and other guardians will be paying a substantial amount of the college costs. Their input should be welcomed and respected. This is particularly true with legacy acceptances that often involve financial assistance packages more generous then what non-legacy acceptances receive.
Cost is not the only factor that brings parents into the equation. In many cases, parents have been actively involved in the high school process. They may have paid for tutoring, testing prep classes (such as for the SAT or ACT), and guided students in college prep course selections. Frequently, parents spend more time then their children researching potential universities and developing a plan that will meet the required acceptance criteria.
Making the Decision Based on all Facts
Deciding on which college to attend is not a “gut reaction.” It requires mature and serious discussion and may not, in the long run, lead to the initial choice. Considered the cost facts, all parties involved in the discussion must come away from any final decision feeling comfortable. If, at the end of the freshman semester, the decision needs to be revisited, undergraduates can always consider transferring.
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