Things to Consider
There are a number of factors that can go into deciding what college or university to attend. These are a few factors to consider when deciding which school's offer to accept:
  • Location
  • Financial aid award
  • Majors & programs the school offers
  • The people and campus
  • ​​​What life is like outside of the classroom

Location
Location is one factor to consider when deciding which offer to accept. Key things to ask yourself are:
  • What's the climate like? Is it sunny or overcast? Does it snow or rain a lot? 
  • Is it a college in a big city or is it a college town? Are there big cities nearby?
  • Is it close to nature? How far is the ocean? How far are the mountains?
  • Is it too close to home? Is it too far from home? 

Financial Aid
Financial aid is probably one of the most, if not the most, important factor when deciding which offer to accept. When accepted, the school should have generated a financial aid award letter and sent it to you (More HERE). 
​Here are a few things to look for in your award package:
​Free Money
  • Work Study
  • Pell Grant
  • ​Institution Grants/Scholarships
Money you have to pay back
  • Federal loans:
    • Subsidized
    • Unsubsidized
    • Parent plus

In-State Award Package

Out-of-state Award Package

Majors & Programs
When accepting offers from schools take a look at which majors and programs they offer
  • Do you want to pursue the major you were accepted with?
  • Is your major impacted? (Impacted means that the number of people accepted in the program often exceeds the number of spots available, so classes are often harder and will weed people out early on)
  • How hard is your major? What is it ranked? 
  • Do they offer other majors you may be interested in? (Students can change their major a number of times. For example, I was accepted as a theater major, switched to art, and then switched again to biology)
  • Are there other programs the school offers? Some schools, along with majors, offer certificate programs.

People & Campus
Remember, the school you accept will most likely be where you will live for the next 2-4 years, so it is important to know what type of institution you will be attending
  • How many people are enrolled? Is it a big school or a small school (in terms of enrollment and class sizes)? 
  • How big is the campus? is it in one centralized area or are there buildings scattered throughout the city?
  • Is the campus a predominantly white institution (PWI)? Is it a historically black college or university (HBCU)? Is it a hispanic serving institution (HSI)?
  • What is transportation like around campus? Do people bike or walk to get to class? Do they have shuttles that bus you around campus?
  • Where is the housing? Do students primarily stay on campus in dorms and student housing? Is there a college town nearby? Is it a commuter school?

Outside of the Classroom
This campus will be where you spend most of your time for the next few years. Another important factor to consider is what life is like outside of the classroom. School is important but it's also important to be happy outside of the classroom and find a place where you can make a community.
  • What is the atmosphere like? What are the vibes?
  • Is it a social campus? Are students super competitive or studious?
  • Are there any activities near campus in the city it's located? Are there hikes?
  • Is there greek life? How big is greek life?
  • What clubs does the school offer? Are there clubs you may be interested in, not school related?
  • Are there multicultural centers or multicultural greek life?