Picking a university can be as crucial as picking a life partner. Why? Because the education you receive at a university will not only influence the rest of your life, but your career, your family, your choices and more. Your university experience will be with you forever, and you will be paying out the mouth for it, so it is vital that you select the best one that suits your need and desires.
What you should look for and take into mind when deciding on a higher education:
Why do you want to attend school?
To start your search, make sure you know what you want to attend college for. Make a list of reasons and interests. A few examples might be: Are looking to become a teacher? Are you interested in specific sports or clubs? Do you want to go Greek? Next, prioritize your list in terms of what is most important on a scale of 1 to 3. Make sure you don't forget any interests or hobbies. A lot of colleges and university have clubs or classes on obscure topics or activities. If you've always loved film, don't forget to put it down you may want to pursue an extracurricular course in humanities and film. If you are undecided as to what you want to receive a degree in, this is a fun way to learn about your strengths, and tie them into furthering your education.
How much are you willing to spend?
Everyone hates to talk about how much school costs. You should however take this into deep consideration when picking the right school. Ideally, you should have a number in mind of the maximum amount you want to spend on your education. A typical 4 year public university education costs around $60,000 for four years, and a private 4 year could be closer to $100,000. On the other hand, an average community college bachelor's degree would more likely cost around $9000. If you are looking to get a degree on-line, the average bachelor's degree could cost upwards of $75,000 with all the hidden fees for using the on-line portal. Attending an out of state (or country) college always costs more, anywhere from 15-40% extra for being a non-resident.
Where is your funding coming from?
There are all types of student loans available for anyone. If you are taking out a loan, make sure the lending institution is well known and has a good reputation. Generally speaking, most all students of any income or with any credit history can gain a loan. If you are paying out of pocket, you may consider gaining a work-study program if you have a job, or want to get a job. Grants are also available. Most you have to apply for and meet the qualifications. Grants are nice for the reason that you never have to repay them. If you are married, have low income and/or and have children, receiving a grant is fairly easy. Grants usually only give you up to around 50% of your educational funding, and you must re-apply every semester or school year depending on the award. Scholarships are also an excellent source of financial income. If you are lucky enough to get scholarships, make sure you meet the requirements to keep the funding or you may have to pay the money back. There are thousands of scholarships available privately and publicly. Everyone should apply for every scholarship they meet the requirements of, because every year many people miss out on free money and some scholarships are never awarded for this reason.
What living arrangements are you looking for?
Living at home can always be a nice escape from college life. Many universities however, require at least 1 year residency in student housing. Student housing is rather expensive. Many places do have family housing, but your best option may be to find a place off-campus. Community colleges and technical colleges rarely (if ever) have student housing. Most student loans will cover the cost of rent, but if you aren't living in student housing you will need to factor in bills and utilities. Most student housing comes with Internet, phone, cable, and utilities included in the cost of housing. Distance from home or family can also be a strong deciding point. Location may not seem important, but if you want to be close to a city or in a temperate climate, you should bear setting in mind. Picking a university that has living options that are ideal, should be high on your list of concerns.
What types of education are you interested in receiving?
Don't rule anything that sounds interesting out. If you want a bachelor's degree, and are perhaps considering graduate school make sure that you are selecting from schools that have the best under-grad or "pre" programs. If you want a more personalized setting, a private university or a 2 year school may be more to your interest. Many of the larger schools have great under-grad programs, and a great selection of classes, clubs, activities, and degrees but limited amounts of personal time to spend on you. Specialized fields of interest (i.e. veterinary, pre-law, pharmacy, nursing, technical, etc.) usually have a very limited sect of schools that you can attend but can be much more focused on smaller class sizes and fewer student to faculty ratios.
What other things does the school have to offer?
You should note if things like libraries and student life are important. When selecting a school, you may want to opt for a school that has better resource facilities than one that encourages or forces you to look elsewhere. Availability of student jobs could also be an excellent bonus. If diversity, religion and graduation rates are focal point, keep an eye out for those hidden perks. Look for luxuries like study groups or community involvement that would personalize your college experience and make you feel at home with your education.
I've made my list, what now?
After you've made your choices you are ready to begin to shop around. Purchase or check out college catalog books at your local library or bookstore. Check out the schools' websites, call and ask to speak with a representative, set up tours and request more information be mailed to your home, and talk to students that attend the school or teachers that work there. You should get involved with the direction of your search. Don't settle! Strive to attend a school that has the most qualities from your list, and apply to as many schools from your narrow list as you can to ensure you get the education that you want after all, you ARE paying for it!