Deciding on a College

Selecting a particular college can be one of the most difficult and crucial decisions for anyone. Everyone knows the importance of college education, and how it can have a far-reaching impact on the future life and career planning.

Therefore, youngsters need some help and guidance from their parents while making such an important decision in their life. But, sometimes parents can also get confused and may fail to decide which college is to be preferred over the other. In such a situation, a few things are required to be taken into account, which are discussed here.

While selecting a college, it should be kept in mind that every student has some specific academic and other needs. So, the college that is best for others may not be best for you, which means that only you can decide which college is right for you.

While taking such an important decision, you should give yourself some time and consider certain things, which are enlisted here:

★ Decide what you want to do after becoming a college graduate. In other words, make a decision regarding the kind of profession or career you want to pursue after completing your education. Consider the majors offered by the college, along with the specific areas of study, which are considered the strengths of that institution.

★ The next important thing to be considered is the location of the college. Many students who are born and brought up in cities can find themselves out of place in a collage that is located in a rural area.

Similarly, students grown up in a country-like area may not find an urban location appealing. However, exceptions are there, and there are many students who like to go for a location that is different from the ones they grew up in.

★ The distance of the college from your residence is another important consideration. A college located far away from your residence can not only limit your interactions with your family, but can increase the expenses as well.

If you go for a college that requires you to travel by air, then airfare can raise the cost of attending that particular institution significantly.

★ The quality of food available on the campus may not seem very important for many students. But, it is an important consideration, as you have to spend four long years in that campus.

While visiting a college admission office, you might have so many questions on your mind. But, when the actual time comes, you may find yourself at a loss as to what to ask. So, here is a list of questions, which you can ask the employees of the college admission office, in order to get a clear picture of that institution:

• What are the requirements to get admission in the college?
• What are the programs and courses offered by the college?
• Are SAT or GPA scores required to get admission?
• Do students have to clear the admission test or exam to get selected?

• What is the student/faculty ratio in the college?
• What is the average size of a class?
• Who will be teaching in my field of study and what is their educational background?
• Is it possible to meet the instructor and department head?

• Does the college offer scholarship programs or any kind of financial aid?
• What are the resources available for helping students in their studies?
• What are the meal plans offered by the college?
• Does the college provide housing facilities?
• Does the college provide placement facilities?

After taking all these factors into account, you have to find out what will be the cost of attending a particular college. Many colleges offer financial aid or grants, but you have to get qualified to receive such a package.

However, prestige and reputation of a college can carry more weight in getting a good job, and in such a case, a high cost of attending the college can be justified.

Lastly, do not forget to take into account the admission policy and opportunities, such as job placement, as after completing your graduation you would definitely want to get a good job.