by John Asgeirson

Created on: February 12, 2009   Last Updated: February 24, 2009

If you want to go to college or the right university ask your self the following questions:

1) Am I academically prepared for the school I'm applying to?

2) Does the college or university offer the degree I'm looking for?

3) Can my parents afford to pay for or help me pay for the expenses of going to college? If not what is my back up plan.

4) Will I be able to live away from home for a long period of time.

5) Is there a reasonable chance of employment related to my major upon graduation.

6) Am I going to college for an education or is that a secondary consideration.

There are all sorts of venues for higher learning. Admission to the school of your choice may be the result a combination of your academic record, test scores, life experience, or in some cases just luck. I would strongly suggest that you research what the average GPA and test scores for students the college or colleges you are considering. If your SATs or GPA are lower than the average enrollee and the school is competitive you may be disappointed.

Not all colleges are created equally. While you may be able to get a degree in English, History, or ... at just about any four year school that is not the same for all types of engineering or specializations in business. The college handbook needs to be reviewed. Obviously the larger state schools may have more offerings but this may be the time to see if their reputation is good and their graduates are placed in training related fields.

Going to college isn't cheap. Go to the best college or university you can afford. It will pay dividends in the future. Private schools are usually more expensive than the state university system but it is not always better. This will be one of the biggest financial decisions in yours or your family's life. Parents will make sacrifices to help you. It will be a big help if you are serious in your academic career. These days very few students are able to get through school without scholarships, financial aid, part time jobs and unfortunately loans. I would advise most students work more to limit their use of loans even if it means taking longer to graduate. The extra work experience if it can be related to your academic field may help in getting that first job after graduation.

Going to college may just be like high school on steroids if you live at home. If you choose to leave home for your college experience it will be more expensive and if you like visiting your family on holidays, travel expenses need to be considered. A bus

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