how did you know?

[2HOT2touch]

I recently applied to college. I have also recently recieved 5 out of 7 decision letters and they were all aceptances. Over my christmas break I was thinking about finally making my decision. But I am scared that I will make the wrong choice. I mean I kind of went through this process already when I applied for high school, because I go to a college prepatory high school, but that decision was easy because I only got into 2 out of the 4 schools I applied to and one of the schools I really just didn't want to go to. But anyway my question is, how you do know that the college is THE RIGHT one? I mean I'm pretty sure I know what college I want to go to, but I'm still having some doubts.

 

[monarchsfan16]

If you can, go back and tour the schools again, especially the ones you're really leaning towards. Seeing it a second (or even third or fourth) time really can help. In the end I just went with the school that felt right. Nothing tangible; it was just the one I was most comfortable at. Of course, by that time I had narrowed it down to a few choices, mostly based on which ones had good hockey so I'd have something to do on the weekends, but the final choice came down to the one that felt right. The big things I took into consideration (other than the ability to watch hockey) when I was deciding were the size of the school, and how close to home it was.

 

[Andrusi]

That's about what I did, too. Granted, I narrowed it down using a really stupid reason--I was under the clearly false impression that I wanted to study mechanical engineering--but in the end, I picked a school that felt right, and I would say I'm happy with my decision.

Location was definitely a big factor--I only considered one school outside of North Carolina, and that was in South Carolina.

Ultimately, you're just going to have to pick one. The moment you're 100% sure what college you want to go to comes the first time you're trying to get a job and the interviewer went there, after you've already been there for a while. Seriously, when you're making a big decision, it's normal to wonder if you have the right answer. Don't get me wrong--if there's anything in particular bugging you, you should look into it now, before you commit. But if it's just that nagging "but what if I'm wrong?" feeling, remember that you'd have that no matter what college you were leaning towards.

 

[Dee/Belle]

Something you might also want to think about is what will happen if you change majors. I go to a school that's in the top 3 Journalism schools in the US (I'm studying Journalism) but a lot of our other programs here are very strong so if I DID end up changing, I would still get a fantastic education without having to transfer. My choice was easy...10 minutes from home, top j-school in the US, nice campus, good school overall. You just have to see what is right and what feels right just like they said above. It's not all about academics (as much as people like to tell you). You can't function well in a school with great academics if you don't have something else you love there--people, activities, etc. I'd try and do another round of visits. Good luck!

 

[Kookaburra2211]

First, congratulations on your acceptances and best of luck with the final two.

Assuming that you have visited the campuses and are familiar with their academic programs, it really comes down to finding the place that you feel most comfortable. Every college will have good professors and bad professors, good dorms and bad dorms, good courses and terrible courses. But you’ll spent 4+ years living and working in that environment, so you want it to be a place you want to be.

Make sure you’ll be challenged academically as well. As shallow as it sounds, look at the average test scores of each school. The scores are virtually meaningless, but you’ll still see a significant difference between colleges. This will give you a good idea of, well, how proficient your peers are at taking standardized tests. But you get the point. All student bodies are not the same. One of my favorite parts about college is being surrounded by people who are intellectually brilliant.

Just two things I considered. Go with your gut feeling. As long as you’re excited about where you are and you take advantage of all the resources the place offers, you can’t lose.

 

[Berlioz70]

2HOT2touch - Everyone goes to college for different reasons, I would suggest doing the following:

Make a list of what you want to do at college-
What majors are you interested - 8 out of 10 students will change their major more than once!
What extra curricular things would you like to do? - Greek life, music, sports, student government, clubs/organizations
Do you plan on working during college - if so, what types of jobs are you interested in?
What do you want to do for fun outside of the institution? - see movies, sporting events, theatre, shop, go to bars?
What are your favorite restaurants?
What distance would you like to be from parents/friends/other family?

Add some other things that fit your personality and interests as well!

After you complete your list, look back at the institutions and compare your responses. Remember, you're only in class about 15-20 hours a week, that's less than a day per week! The number one thing people will remember about college will usually be things outside of the classroom!

I am currently at my third institution and have probably gone through the college search more than most have - if you have any other questions please feel free to ask!

 

[shelby22]

I recently applied to college. I have also recently recieved 5 out of 7 decision letters and they were all aceptances. Over my christmas break I was thinking about finally making my decision. But I am scared that I will make the wrong choice. I mean I kind of went through this process already when I applied for high school, because I go to a college prepatory high school, but that decision was easy because I only got into 2 out of the 4 schools I applied to and one of the schools I really just didn't want to go to. But anyway my question is, how you do know that the college is THE RIGHT one? I mean I'm pretty sure I know what college I want to go to, but I'm still having some doubts.

Honey, there's no such thing in the world as the right decision. Honestly, having just finished college, your undergrad doesn't really matter - it's what you take from it that counts. Just make a choice and make the best of it. If you're gonna keep worrying about if you made the right decision or not you'll spend your whole time in college looking for greener pastures. Enjoy it - no doubts!

 

[swimlib]

As a college tour guide, I get this question a lot. I can tell you that when I did my tours of colleges(5 years ago mind you, I'm a senior in college), I knew the school I wanted to go to from the moment I stepped on campus.

One thing to look at when deciding between schools is the amount of funding you may get. I know it's not the highest priority right now, but when you are looking at graduating in less debt from one school than the other, look seriously at what you like and dislike about the school.

If all schools seem to be really good, ask an admissions counselor if there is a lunch with a student option. You can ask about things that may still have you flip-flopping between schools. Also having a pro-con list may help you figure out what you ae looking for in a university, allowing you to ask better questions to help you make your decision.

Hope this helps!

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

You have gotten a lot of good advice in the previous posts.

Just something to consider:
Is there a school on your list that you would have deep regrets if you didn't go there? Sometimes looking at a decision from the "opposite" point of view can give you a new perspective.

Good luck! And try not to second guess yourself; all your options are probably good ones. You can always write down your reasoning behind your decision to look back on later, or to help you make your decision.