By now, college decisions have been released and many of you are facing overwhelming anxiety of which school you should pick. My college decision was easy because I picked the better of my two back up schools since my top two denied me. But for some, the decision isn't as easy. You have multiple options, each one of them different from the other and in truth you can see yourself being happy at any of them. This can leave you feeling confused and overwhelmed. But I am here to tell you there are better ways to pick your forever home than simply flipping a coin. Here are a few tips for making your decision a whole lot easier:
1. Make a pro and con list.
GiphyThis is the most obvious tip, but I think it is the most helpful. This can allow you to visualize on paper the differences between the schools you are choosing from. Sometimes this is easier than trying to weigh the options in your head.
2. Go on a student-led tour.
GiphyYou may have already done this, but it doesn't hurt to do it again in case you weren't closely paying attention the first time. This also gives you a chance to ask questions that you may have now that you've been accepted. In addition, you can get a second feel for the campus.
3. Go on a tour from friend or family member who goes there.
GiphyIf you have friends or family members who go to any of the schools you are deciding between, get them to show you around. Tour guides hired by the university are obligated to make the place sound like heaven on earth. But, your friends and family aren't. They'll give you the brutality honest version of what they think and it can give you the opportunity to go to areas that you wouldn't during a student led tour. Bonus: see if you can stay overnight or the weekend with them to see what life around the campus is like.
4. Look up reviews for the university on ratemyprofessors.com.
GiphyYou can do more than look up professor reviews on there, you can also look up university ratings and reviews too. Reviewers on there rate the campus safety, food, social life, academics and more. This was very helpful to me when deciding.
5. Know what you want out of an academic program and compare.
GiphyEvery university will have differing requirements for your major and it helps to know exactly what you want your education to be like. Some schools will milk you for your money and time with general education class while others will cut right to the chase and try to help you get your degree asap. Know which schools excel in the program you're applying for. While friends and a social life are important, remember you are going to college for an education, not to party.
6. Watch Youtube videos from people who go there.
GiphySometimes vloggers from the universities will do an "A Day in my Life" or "College Q & A's" to help give viewers insights into their schools. Morgan Yates, a former UNC student has plenty of videos detailing her life at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. There are plenty of others too who make similar videos.
7. Talk to your advisor.
GiphyTalk to your advisor and get their opinion. They know these schools better than you do and can provide an insight that you may not have thought about. You can also talk to them about your concerns about the schools you're deciding between. My academic advisor was super helpful when I was applying and deciding on what college to go to.
8. Don't make an immediate decision.
GiphyThe worst thing you can do when deciding on a college to go to is making a rash decision. Usually, when you do this you haven't fully thought about what you want and are just doing it to get it over with. When you think you've made a decision, don't commit right away. Think about it for a few days and make sure that you are 100% committed and have no regrets.
9. Embrace you decision with open arms.
GiphyOnce you've decided and committed on a school, embrace your choice with open arms. Get excited about it, tell your family and friends, post it up on social media. Be proud of yourself that you are lucky enough to go to that school.
Even if you're still confused about what school to go to after reading these tips, that's okay. Deciding on a college isn't an overnight process; it takes some time. As someone who had to pick a college to go to out of high school and is now trying to decide on which school I want to transfer into, I can tell you that firsthand. But as tip #9 says, embrace your decision with open arms. I wasn't confident in my decision right out of high school and regretted every minute of my freshman year. But I will tell you that with the next school that I go to, I will embrace it wholeheartedly and never look back. So cheers to the next four years, the best four years of your life.
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