The college process is full of ups and downs. It is very stressful and you cannot truly relax until you hear back from all the schools that you applied to. For me, I felt a little relieved when I heard back from my first school. At least I knew that I was going somewhere. I'm the oldest sibling, but I have older cousins who have gone through the college process so I had a lot of people to talk to and get advice from. Here is my advice to seniors in high school about picking a college to attend:

1. Don't pick a school because your friends are going there.

Yes, you want to go to a school where your friends are, but don't pick the school because that is where they are going. In the end it is your education, not theirs. None of the kids in my high school graduating class went to the college that I go to. I knew nobody the first few weeks of school, but I made friends. I also know people who went to school with their friends and actually aren't even friends anymore. In the end, it's all about you and not everybody else.

2. Don't pick a school because of their name.

This may seem like common sense, but you would be surprised. Do not pick a school because they're popular. If they have your major and exactly what you want, then go ahead. BUT, if you're picking them because they're popular and that's the only reason why, then don't. Pick a school because they have your major, the sport that you want to play, etc.

3. Be mindful of your scholarships.

Scholarships are literally life savers. Not every school gives them and they can be very competitive. If you get a scholarship, then you should take that into consideration when deciding a school. Another thing to look for is something called "frozen tuition". A lot of schools increase their tuition each year and sometimes your scholarship stays the same. For example; if tuition is $50,000 and you have a $30,000 then you're paying $20,000. If tuition raises to $60,000, then you will still only have a $30,000 scholarship and will be paying $10,000 more each year. Frozen tuition makes sure that you're paying the same price all four years.