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What should I look for when choosing a college or university?
What should I prioritize first: Sports, Major selection, diversity, if my friends are going.
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Grace’s Answer
Hi Arel, I remember being in your shoes. To address the criteria you mentioned,
Sports: While sports can make for really fun weekends and definitely add to the sense of comradery amongst students (I went to a big sports school), I wouldn't necessarily use that as your deciding factor between two schools. Sports will likely be more of a factor in your decision of big school or small school. A lot of big schools have very active athletic events while small schools often don't.
Major selection: I think this is probably the most important of your criteria as a main point of going to college is to get a job afterwards. The general program you apply to is pretty important, meaning business, engineering, fine arts, etc. Each program has majors within it and it'll generally be easier to switch from one engineering major to another than to switch from aerospace engineering to marketing. You may also consider what minor programs a university has. If you tour a college or speak with someone from the admissions department, ask about the possibility of adding a minor as some programs are more demanding than others. When you decide on a general major, review the state ranking and national ranking of those programs. I attended a school that ranked 1st or 2nd in my state, but more around 25-50 nationally. A lot of rankings are silly and not necessarily an indicator of the quality of education you'll get, but do play a factor in your job prospects. Some companies only recruit from top programs so if you have a daunting dream job at a prestigious company, do some extensive research into what schools they recruit from. This is something I wish I'd considered more when I was applying to schools. Also, if you have a specific career in mind, find out if a master's degree is necessary and look for schools with accelerated 5 year programs where you get your bachelor's and master's degrees in 5 years.
Diversity: I think this is entirely dependent on your personal values. You will meet all kinds of people no matter where you go. There are always people from out of state, people from small towns/big cities, international students, and just generally people with a different upbringing from you at college. I believe in the philosophy that you learn more in an environment where everyone doesn't think the same way, but even in programs with consistent demographics, there are lots of aspects to people that can make a program diverse.
Friends: Like Elise said, do not use your friends as a deciding factor for your future. While it can be comforting to go to a new place with someone you know, a large benefit of college is meeting new people and growing your network. If your friends happen to want to go to the same school, that's great, but choosing a college is a big decision that can have a large impact on your life and if a friendship is important enough to you, you will keep it up despite the distance.
This is definitely a decision you want to take seriously. Use all the resources available to you and consult with your family and school counselors if you have them. Best of luck!
Sports: While sports can make for really fun weekends and definitely add to the sense of comradery amongst students (I went to a big sports school), I wouldn't necessarily use that as your deciding factor between two schools. Sports will likely be more of a factor in your decision of big school or small school. A lot of big schools have very active athletic events while small schools often don't.
Major selection: I think this is probably the most important of your criteria as a main point of going to college is to get a job afterwards. The general program you apply to is pretty important, meaning business, engineering, fine arts, etc. Each program has majors within it and it'll generally be easier to switch from one engineering major to another than to switch from aerospace engineering to marketing. You may also consider what minor programs a university has. If you tour a college or speak with someone from the admissions department, ask about the possibility of adding a minor as some programs are more demanding than others. When you decide on a general major, review the state ranking and national ranking of those programs. I attended a school that ranked 1st or 2nd in my state, but more around 25-50 nationally. A lot of rankings are silly and not necessarily an indicator of the quality of education you'll get, but do play a factor in your job prospects. Some companies only recruit from top programs so if you have a daunting dream job at a prestigious company, do some extensive research into what schools they recruit from. This is something I wish I'd considered more when I was applying to schools. Also, if you have a specific career in mind, find out if a master's degree is necessary and look for schools with accelerated 5 year programs where you get your bachelor's and master's degrees in 5 years.
Diversity: I think this is entirely dependent on your personal values. You will meet all kinds of people no matter where you go. There are always people from out of state, people from small towns/big cities, international students, and just generally people with a different upbringing from you at college. I believe in the philosophy that you learn more in an environment where everyone doesn't think the same way, but even in programs with consistent demographics, there are lots of aspects to people that can make a program diverse.
Friends: Like Elise said, do not use your friends as a deciding factor for your future. While it can be comforting to go to a new place with someone you know, a large benefit of college is meeting new people and growing your network. If your friends happen to want to go to the same school, that's great, but choosing a college is a big decision that can have a large impact on your life and if a friendship is important enough to you, you will keep it up despite the distance.
This is definitely a decision you want to take seriously. Use all the resources available to you and consult with your family and school counselors if you have them. Best of luck!
Updated
Xiaojie Johan’s Answer
Hello Arel,
Thanks for asking. I think it depends on what you really want in your university and your future career. I'd talk to your guidance counselor about what your future goals are and then align those goals with what university/college you will go to.
Best of luck!
Regards,
Johan
Thanks for asking. I think it depends on what you really want in your university and your future career. I'd talk to your guidance counselor about what your future goals are and then align those goals with what university/college you will go to.
Best of luck!
Regards,
Johan
Updated
Katie’s Answer
Hi Arel,
I would definitely recommend selecting a college that has a good program in the major you plan on selecting, as you will be spending the majority of your time in courses related to your major, and attending a strong program help to set you up for success in your career. Other factors involved in selecting a college are higher personal - I'd recommend visiting the campuses you are considering, talking to some students there, and taking a tour to get a feel for the environment and whether you could see yourself attending.
I would definitely recommend selecting a college that has a good program in the major you plan on selecting, as you will be spending the majority of your time in courses related to your major, and attending a strong program help to set you up for success in your career. Other factors involved in selecting a college are higher personal - I'd recommend visiting the campuses you are considering, talking to some students there, and taking a tour to get a feel for the environment and whether you could see yourself attending.
Updated
Archived’s Answer
So exciting!! For me, I was mostly prioritizing academics because in the end, you'll be graduating with a degree from that university/college. If you have something you're interested in now and may want to pursue, I'd major in that. But I would keep in mind the options the school gives you. For example, does the school offer concentrations in a course of study and how accommodating it can be to you. Does that school have many other programs that you may be interested in if your initial thought was not what you thought it'd be? Being at a school with a program you're interested in + many other options in case you find yourself drawn to another one gives you flexibility to move around. Also consider minors and how many the school has so you can really tailor your studies to your own interests.
Another important feature is the atmosphere of the school and the campus. Do you want to attend a big or small school? How diverse is the student population? Are people just friendly in general? You can really get the vibe of a campus quickly, so be sure to visit if you are able to! As for the friends piece, I would NOT be influenced by where your friends are going. I know this is harsh, but you'll meet so many new people from all walks of life in college. You will change as a person because that just happens with exposure to new environments/people. I hope this helps, and good luck!
Another important feature is the atmosphere of the school and the campus. Do you want to attend a big or small school? How diverse is the student population? Are people just friendly in general? You can really get the vibe of a campus quickly, so be sure to visit if you are able to! As for the friends piece, I would NOT be influenced by where your friends are going. I know this is harsh, but you'll meet so many new people from all walks of life in college. You will change as a person because that just happens with exposure to new environments/people. I hope this helps, and good luck!