Choosing a College
Cost, program, and fit. Get these three right and the rest tends to follow.
I talk with thousands of high school students every year. When I ask a senior what they want to study, I get a blank stare more often than you would think — followed by a list of five or six possibilities. That is not a character flaw. It just means nobody has walked them through it yet.
Here is the framework I give students at college fairs.
Cost
Not the sticker price — the price you will pay after aid, for four years, including housing and fees. Compare net cost across schools, and be honest about what your family can cover without borrowing.
Program
Does the school actually do the thing you want to do, and do it well? Look at the specific department, not the university’s overall reputation. Ask about internships, licensure pass rates, and where graduates end up.
Fit
My dad told me the next four years would shape me through my professors and the friends I kept. He was right. Size, location, values, and community matter more than most seventeen-year-olds expect.
Don’t wing it
There is nothing wrong with being undecided. There is something wrong with arriving on campus undecided, paying for a year of general credits, changing direction, and adding a fifth year at full price. That fifth year is one of the most common reasons students end up borrowing more than they planned.
Do the work early instead: talk to people doing the job you think you want, sit in on a class, take the campus visit seriously, and read the fine print on every award letter.
A word about test scores
Most colleges are requiring entrance exams again. Scores matter here for a reason students often miss — they are frequently tied to merit aid. A higher ACT, SAT or CLT score can move you into a better scholarship bracket. Retaking a test is usually cheaper per hour than almost any other way of lowering your college bill.
Whichever school you pick, go in with a plan.
The Scholarship File is free and it isn’t tied to any one college.
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