6 answers
Carson
Student
Murphy, TX
1
Question
Updated
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What are the top factors in deciding on colleges?
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6 answers
Wong Loke Yuen
Head of Programme cum Senior Lecturer
645
Answers
Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia
Updated
Wong’s Answer
Hi Carson. Choosing the right college is a big decision that can shape your future. One of the most important things to look at is what you want to study. Make sure the college has strong programs in your area of interest. Some schools are better known for certain subjects, like engineering, nursing, or art. Look into faculty qualifications, class sizes, and opportunities to do research or hands-on projects. A well-respected program can help you build a strong foundation for your future career, but remember that the best school is the one that fits you, not just the most famous one.
The location of the college also plays a big part in your decision. Think about whether you'd rather live in a big city, a small town, or somewhere in between. City campuses may offer more job and internship options, while smaller towns can feel more personal and peaceful.
Cost is another major factor. College can be expensive, but many schools offer financial aid, scholarships, or work-study programs. Don't just look at the tuition, you need to consider housing, food, and other living costs too. Compare financial aid offers and think about how much debt you might have after graduation. Choosing a school you can afford will help you avoid stress later on.
It's also important to think about campus life and the kind of people you'll be around. Each college has its own culture. Some are known for school spirit and sports, while others focus more on academics or the arts.
Lastly, consider how well the college helps students prepare for the future. Look at career centers, internship programs, and alumni networks. These can make a big difference when it's time to find a job.
Wishing you all the best.
The location of the college also plays a big part in your decision. Think about whether you'd rather live in a big city, a small town, or somewhere in between. City campuses may offer more job and internship options, while smaller towns can feel more personal and peaceful.
Cost is another major factor. College can be expensive, but many schools offer financial aid, scholarships, or work-study programs. Don't just look at the tuition, you need to consider housing, food, and other living costs too. Compare financial aid offers and think about how much debt you might have after graduation. Choosing a school you can afford will help you avoid stress later on.
It's also important to think about campus life and the kind of people you'll be around. Each college has its own culture. Some are known for school spirit and sports, while others focus more on academics or the arts.
Lastly, consider how well the college helps students prepare for the future. Look at career centers, internship programs, and alumni networks. These can make a big difference when it's time to find a job.
Wishing you all the best.
George Zou, M.S.
Academic Advisor
36
Answers
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Updated
George’s Answer
Hi Carson,
Great question. I believe we must all find the right fit for our school. There's no right size fits all. Here's an article I wrote a few years ago which could help you decide on this major decision.
When it comes to picking the right college or fit, many families will be faced with a difficult decision come May 1st. I believe it is crucial that students and parents have symmetrical transparent information in order to make the best choice possible. While I can’t speak for students of all socioeconomic status nor do I know exactly your particular circumstance, I can say college is NOT a one size fits all.
1. Where and what college you matriculate to does not define who you are
There are smart kids at average schools and average kids at elite schools. Let’s face it, you’re that straight A/A- student from an upper middle class family who always reached for the stars. Your state school may be offering you a very generous merit-based scholarship, some even including room/board. However, the name Stanford, Yale, Notre Dame or Northwestern just sounds better than University of (Your State). So what do you do? While I won’t tell you not to attend the more elite option, I do want to caution you that a fancy or fancier degree could sink you in the hole when it comes to student loan debt, which cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. Keep in mind, student loan is after tax money. Your $XX,XXX salary is before tax earnings so you may want to discount that by 30%.
2. Your dream job of Investment Banking or Consulting may not be a good fit for you
I know you want and need money, desperately! From personal experience, certain employers only recruit from “Target” schools which could mean that if you attended a lower ranked school, you may never get the opportunity to work for Goldman Sachs or McKinsey. Let’s hypothetically say you did manage to jump through the hoops and land an amazing internship. Would working 100 hours a week sound appealing to you? Does going into the office on a weekend or sleeping 3-4 hours a night a fit for your lifestyle? The truth is you don’t know how much work it is until you are marinated in that environment. I personally didn’t know what 90% travel meant until I surrendered at my first high paying job. So think about it carefully. Does taking on potential debt make sense to get a job you could never get away from, with no time for friends and family. And if the work is too intense, you may leave your employer but your student debt shall remain. Now, you’re totally trapped. No job, tons of debt.
3. Your Parents and (real) Friends are extremely proud of you
Going to a State School doesn’t mean you’re average. You have proven and impressed your state college! That’s why they are throwing you a scholarship, perhaps. That money is free but you are bringing an amazing SAT score and GPA to boost your state school’s ranking. You may also be invited to apply to the Honors College, woohoo! That could be the “I’m better than you” statement you may be searching for.
4. Study What You Love to Ignite that Passion
I personally studied Accounting because I was convinced by many that it would lead to a “safe” standard of living. I was pretty good at Accounting but my relationship with numbers just didn’t synchronize even though I did score a perfect 36 on the Math ACT. Steve Jobs said the only way to succeed and be content with what you do is to LOVE what you do. Please do yourself a favor and pick a major you enjoy or else you’ll change it 4 times before graduating. You can major in Sociology or Political Science or even English as long as you accrue the work and internship experience to brand yourself which leads to my next point.
5. College Career Outcomes can be Deceiving
One of the most important fact you’ll ever learn in college is “Correlation does NOT necessarily mean causation”. When you see elite institutions bragging about their employment statistics, what you blindly miss may be the fact that Tom’s roommate’s dad was the VP of JP Morgan Chase and that’s how tom got his job or Sarah’s mom cuts hair for the CEO of fill in the blank Fortune 500 company and that’s how the connection happened. Right, it all comes down to the connections and that’s the reality of life. The truth is some of the ways students are landing internships have very little to do with how great the University Career center had performed. Some parents just have more connections than others, but love your parents because I’m sure they tried their best.
6. Geographic Location Matters
Alumni networks are often concentrated in cities of close proximity to the campus. It’s very important to go to a school where you picture yourself living there someday. For example, the San Francisco bay area is full of Stanford and Berkeley graduates while New York is home to NYU, Columbia, etc.
7. The Power or Danger of Compounding
If you were to take out student loans, some loans may be considered unsubsidized which means interest compounds. For every month you don’t pay off the interest, let alone the principal, you WILL owe more money on your balance than the previous month. On the other hand, if you were to invest money, your returns are compounded as well. Interest or returns compound on top of previous balance, which compounds even more. There’s a huge difference between being a debtor and an investor.
8. Classes are Overrated
I’m not telling you to skip class but the true opportunities in life occur outside the classroom. They just happen to be surrounded during times in college. It may be a conference you’re attending to be interviewed for an internship. It could be a competition you’re involved in where your teammates are your future partners. Sometimes, simply meeting someone at the bar could open up an opportunity. Network, network, network! Simply going to class and getting a 4.0 won’t help as much, unless you’re a medical student and all you do is study. Even then, networking is important. It’s all about who you meet!
Great question. I believe we must all find the right fit for our school. There's no right size fits all. Here's an article I wrote a few years ago which could help you decide on this major decision.
When it comes to picking the right college or fit, many families will be faced with a difficult decision come May 1st. I believe it is crucial that students and parents have symmetrical transparent information in order to make the best choice possible. While I can’t speak for students of all socioeconomic status nor do I know exactly your particular circumstance, I can say college is NOT a one size fits all.
1. Where and what college you matriculate to does not define who you are
There are smart kids at average schools and average kids at elite schools. Let’s face it, you’re that straight A/A- student from an upper middle class family who always reached for the stars. Your state school may be offering you a very generous merit-based scholarship, some even including room/board. However, the name Stanford, Yale, Notre Dame or Northwestern just sounds better than University of (Your State). So what do you do? While I won’t tell you not to attend the more elite option, I do want to caution you that a fancy or fancier degree could sink you in the hole when it comes to student loan debt, which cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. Keep in mind, student loan is after tax money. Your $XX,XXX salary is before tax earnings so you may want to discount that by 30%.
2. Your dream job of Investment Banking or Consulting may not be a good fit for you
I know you want and need money, desperately! From personal experience, certain employers only recruit from “Target” schools which could mean that if you attended a lower ranked school, you may never get the opportunity to work for Goldman Sachs or McKinsey. Let’s hypothetically say you did manage to jump through the hoops and land an amazing internship. Would working 100 hours a week sound appealing to you? Does going into the office on a weekend or sleeping 3-4 hours a night a fit for your lifestyle? The truth is you don’t know how much work it is until you are marinated in that environment. I personally didn’t know what 90% travel meant until I surrendered at my first high paying job. So think about it carefully. Does taking on potential debt make sense to get a job you could never get away from, with no time for friends and family. And if the work is too intense, you may leave your employer but your student debt shall remain. Now, you’re totally trapped. No job, tons of debt.
3. Your Parents and (real) Friends are extremely proud of you
Going to a State School doesn’t mean you’re average. You have proven and impressed your state college! That’s why they are throwing you a scholarship, perhaps. That money is free but you are bringing an amazing SAT score and GPA to boost your state school’s ranking. You may also be invited to apply to the Honors College, woohoo! That could be the “I’m better than you” statement you may be searching for.
4. Study What You Love to Ignite that Passion
I personally studied Accounting because I was convinced by many that it would lead to a “safe” standard of living. I was pretty good at Accounting but my relationship with numbers just didn’t synchronize even though I did score a perfect 36 on the Math ACT. Steve Jobs said the only way to succeed and be content with what you do is to LOVE what you do. Please do yourself a favor and pick a major you enjoy or else you’ll change it 4 times before graduating. You can major in Sociology or Political Science or even English as long as you accrue the work and internship experience to brand yourself which leads to my next point.
5. College Career Outcomes can be Deceiving
One of the most important fact you’ll ever learn in college is “Correlation does NOT necessarily mean causation”. When you see elite institutions bragging about their employment statistics, what you blindly miss may be the fact that Tom’s roommate’s dad was the VP of JP Morgan Chase and that’s how tom got his job or Sarah’s mom cuts hair for the CEO of fill in the blank Fortune 500 company and that’s how the connection happened. Right, it all comes down to the connections and that’s the reality of life. The truth is some of the ways students are landing internships have very little to do with how great the University Career center had performed. Some parents just have more connections than others, but love your parents because I’m sure they tried their best.
6. Geographic Location Matters
Alumni networks are often concentrated in cities of close proximity to the campus. It’s very important to go to a school where you picture yourself living there someday. For example, the San Francisco bay area is full of Stanford and Berkeley graduates while New York is home to NYU, Columbia, etc.
7. The Power or Danger of Compounding
If you were to take out student loans, some loans may be considered unsubsidized which means interest compounds. For every month you don’t pay off the interest, let alone the principal, you WILL owe more money on your balance than the previous month. On the other hand, if you were to invest money, your returns are compounded as well. Interest or returns compound on top of previous balance, which compounds even more. There’s a huge difference between being a debtor and an investor.
8. Classes are Overrated
I’m not telling you to skip class but the true opportunities in life occur outside the classroom. They just happen to be surrounded during times in college. It may be a conference you’re attending to be interviewed for an internship. It could be a competition you’re involved in where your teammates are your future partners. Sometimes, simply meeting someone at the bar could open up an opportunity. Network, network, network! Simply going to class and getting a 4.0 won’t help as much, unless you’re a medical student and all you do is study. Even then, networking is important. It’s all about who you meet!
Rebecca Tang
Banking
2397
Answers
Hong Kong
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
Thank you for your question. This is a good question. Different colleges have strength in different subjects. Firstly, you need to find out what careers you have interest. Then, you can identify the colleges which are good at those subjects.
Below are my suggestions:
1. Think about what you have interest, eg your hobbies, favourite subjects, etc and identify the related careers
Eg if you like music, would you like to be a musician, singer, musical artist, music composer, music producer, etc
If you have interest in maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counselor, your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the colleges which are good at the relevant subjects and find out the entry criteria
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Below are my suggestions:
1. Think about what you have interest, eg your hobbies, favourite subjects, etc and identify the related careers
Eg if you like music, would you like to be a musician, singer, musical artist, music composer, music producer, etc
If you have interest in maths, would you like to be an accountant, engineer, banker, financial analyst, maths teacher, etc
2. Find out more on these careers and determine what you have interest
3. Speak to someone who are working in these careers. Seek guidance from your mentor, school career counselor, your parents, etc
4. Shortlist 1-2 careers you would like to pursue
5. Explore the colleges which are good at the relevant subjects and find out the entry criteria
Hope this helps! Good luck!
May Almighty God bless you!
Teklemuz Ayenew Tesfay
Electrical Engineer, Software Developer, and Career Mentor
517
Answers
Ethiopia
Updated
Teklemuz Ayenew’s Answer
Many have shared what matters most when choosing a college, and I’d like to offer a few additional perspectives. Beyond your chosen program, with its well-equipped labs, workshops, and hands-on experiences, it’s important to consider how a college prepares students for real-world careers through internships, co-ops, and industry connections. Mentorship, guidance from career services, training in job-ready skills, opportunities to develop technical or hard skills, research experiences, and part-time work can have a significant impact by helping students gain experience, earn income, and become well-prepared for the workforce. While cost and financial aid are important factors, a supportive campus community with engaged faculty and peers can play a major role in fostering both personal and professional growth.
David Chou
Project Management
28
Answers
Los Angeles, California
Updated
David’s Answer
When picking a college, think about what truly matters to you. Consider the cost, including tuition, housing, and financial aid. Decide if you want to be close to home or explore a new place, and if you prefer a city atmosphere or a campus feel. Look at the academic programs to see if they offer your major and strong career support. Check out campus life, like clubs, sports, and the social scene. Think about the opportunities for internships, networking, and job placement. Choose a school where you'll feel happy and supported while reaching your goals, not just the one with the most famous name.
Phill Pezo
Industrial Design
103
Answers
Nutley, New Jersey
Updated
Phill’s Answer
Hey Carson,
It is great to hear that you are giving great consideration to what university to go to. It is a large decision to make with a few things to consider. Know that you can get a great education in most colleges, as long as you work as hard as you can. It is important to go to a college that has a good program for the major of your choosing. Studying for the major will be your main priority in college so take time to try to contact current students professors at colleges you are considering. You can ask them how they like it and what the program is like. You can also ask them what the college is like in general. You should also make sure the school has overall decent reviews. You can also try to find out the rate of who graduates and gains a career afterwards.
You can also consider what the campus life is like, if there is one at the colleges you are looking at. If it is relatively small, consider what it might take to get there, but know that your education is priority. You can what is in the near by area like places to eat, maybe the campus has a gym and library. It is also good to try to get a sense of the students on campus. If possible, try to visit during an open house day to tour and talk to students. See what kinds of clubs or organizations you can join and be apart of. It is good to get involved in something to add to your experience. Which ever college you choose, make sure to work hard and have fun with it!
Best of luck on your journey!
It is great to hear that you are giving great consideration to what university to go to. It is a large decision to make with a few things to consider. Know that you can get a great education in most colleges, as long as you work as hard as you can. It is important to go to a college that has a good program for the major of your choosing. Studying for the major will be your main priority in college so take time to try to contact current students professors at colleges you are considering. You can ask them how they like it and what the program is like. You can also ask them what the college is like in general. You should also make sure the school has overall decent reviews. You can also try to find out the rate of who graduates and gains a career afterwards.
You can also consider what the campus life is like, if there is one at the colleges you are looking at. If it is relatively small, consider what it might take to get there, but know that your education is priority. You can what is in the near by area like places to eat, maybe the campus has a gym and library. It is also good to try to get a sense of the students on campus. If possible, try to visit during an open house day to tour and talk to students. See what kinds of clubs or organizations you can join and be apart of. It is good to get involved in something to add to your experience. Which ever college you choose, make sure to work hard and have fun with it!
Best of luck on your journey!