The College Search

Although I have not officially been accepted or committed to a college yet, as a senior in high school, I have spent plenty of late nights online and taken many road trips exploring various colleges and the different opportunities each has to offer. I am beginning the application process now (very overwhelming and stressful!), but thought it could be beneficial to share with my fellow seniors and underclassmen some of the things I found helpful when narrowing down my college search. There are thousands of colleges to choose from, so figuring out your top three or four to apply to can be difficult. I hope you find this post helpful and please share any tips related to this or the application process below in the comments.

1. Offered Majors

Yes, sports teams and school colors are important but ultimately getting a degree and being about to find a job is the purpose of college. The first thing to do when looking at colleges is to look at what majors the school offers. Obviously, if you have decided on a major or field of study and that school doesn’t offer it, look no further and search for another school. If you are undecided and not sure what you want to major in, I would recommend looking at schools that offer a wide variety of majors so that you have options. For me, my major is not widely offered which already narrows down the college search.

2. Location

Once you know the college has your intended major or field of interest, I would suggest looking at the location. First, is the college in-state or out-of-state? This can effect tuition costs and/or state prepaid college funds which can make going to that college impractical due to financial reasons. Next, how far is the college from home? Could you live at home, drive a few hours, or need to take a plane to college? I think the distance your college is from your home is both a preference and logistic thing. Many things contribute to the ideal distance whether it be personal reasons, financial reasons, or family reasons. The ideal distance is different for everyone, but I think it is an important factor to keep in mind during the college search.

3. The “Feel” of the School

This is largely a preference thing, but what is the atmosphere or nature of the school. There are big schools, little schools, schools in cities, schools in the outskirts, and everything in between. Every school has a different feel or vibe on campus. It is important to find a school that makes you feel safe and at home. When I toured my now first choice college, I instantly feel in love with everything on and about the campus. I felt at home and knew that this school was for me. If you are trying to narrow down your college choices, I would highly recommend doing an on-campus tour. On-campus tours are usually given by current students who show you around and give you insight on what it’s like to be a student at their school.

Overall, the college search can be overwhelming because of the diverse, multitude of options. Ultimately, it’s all about finding the school that’s right for you. Listen to your family and peers suggestions and advice, but don’t just pick a school because your family or friends like that school. Be sure to keep an open mind when touring and learning more about a school. Like I said, I am a senior in high school and haven’t been accepted or committed to any colleges, but I have narrowed down my options to a short list of four schools. My next step is taking on college applications. If you are in college and have any advice on college applications, please share either in the comments or on my Instagram @MonogrammedMadison. Thanks for reading!