If you're a senior, fall is a roller coaster ride of events. You will go to your last football games, celebrate your last homecoming week, and go to your last prom. On the other hand, you'll also begin new adventures. You'll visit prospective colleges, explore future career options, and ultimately choose a college to attend. With all the highs and lows that will happen, there are a few you should ask yourself when choosing a future college

1. How will you afford it?

Money should always be considered when looking at colleges. College is expensive and scholarships are difficult to obtain. Can you work while attending in order to afford it? Many campuses have jobs on campus and work studies that may help. Are you parents willing to help you out? Make sure you know how much they are willing to help you out. Can you get loans? There are many programs that will allow you to make payments after you graduate.

2. How do you feel about the location?

You want to go to a college where you can not only love the campus, but it's location. Do you want to be on a big campus in the city? Or do you want to be on a small campus in the country? Do you need there to be a mall within 10 minutes on campus, or are you okay with the closest shopping center being 30 minutes away? Make sure the closest Walmart isn't 45 minutes away when you want to be able to drive five minutes down the road. Are you willing to walk a mile from one class to another, or do you want all your classes to be close together? Are you okay living three hours from home, or do you need to be a few minutes away? If you know you get extremely homesick and you won't be able to get over it, moving two hours away so you can come home some may be better than moving nine hours away where you can only come home for major holidays.

3. How do you like the housing?

Housing is important. This is where you will be living for the next nine months. Make sure you look at all the dorms available on campus. Many campuses house two students per room with a community bathroom. Some have suite style dorms with two students per room connected to a bathroom with another room. Some campuses apartment style dorms that house students in single rooms with 3 or more roommates, a bathroom, a living room and a kitchen. Be aware that most campuses have housing specifically for freshmen. Don't get your hopes up on a certain dorm only to find out you must be an upperclassmen to live there.

4. Does it have majors that fit your interests?

This is one of the most important things when choosing a college. You're going to college to obtain a degree. You have to make sure you choose a college that has majors for careers you are interested in. It's okay going in undecided. Many schools don't require students to declare a major until junior year. And while it's okay going in undecided, you should go in with interests in mind. Do you love Grey's Anatomy and think you may want to become a nurse? Make sure there's a nursing program. Do you love kids and think you may want to be a teacher? Make sure there is a school of education. Don't choose a school that has a great campus if they don't have majors that fit your interests.

5. What are the school's academics like?

Along with choosing a major, a school's academics are just as important. Do you want to be in a classroom with 400 other students, or do you need to be in a class with 30 other students? Can you only have classes a few days a week so that you can have a job as well? Make sure there are options to take classes on certain days and work on the others. How can you get assistance in classes you're struggling in? Most schools offer free tutoring services, and some offer study rooms in order to create a small, private study environment.

6. Why do you really want to go to this school?

Why do you really want to go to this school? Do they have your favorite football team in the entire world? College is more than sports. Are you going because your boyfriend or girlfriend is going there? While it's great to go with a relationship, are you sure that you'll want to stay there if you break up? Are you going because that's where your best friend is going? Going to college with friends is great. It'll make all of the new experiences so much easier. But, this is the real world, and you need to make a decision that best benefits you. Did you hear this school has some of the greatest frat parties? Socializing and making new friends and college is great, but spending all your time partying is not the greatest decision you could make. Do your parents want you to go here because it is their alma mater? Things have changed since they've graduated.

Overall, searching for your new home for the next four or so years will be one of the most exciting and nerve-wracking events of your senior year. Make sure you have many options and weigh out which one will work best for you. Visit each school at least once so you know that this could be your future home. As you finish out your last fall semester of high school, consider these questions as you make your final decisions about your future. Good luck!