Hi everyone! Welcome to our second-to-last issue of our high school careers (cue the tears). With college decision deadlines coming up for seniors, we thought we’d share the factors to consider most important in choosing the right college:
Location It’s important to choose a place that you love. If you can’t stand the cold, look for options closer to home. If you hate the heat, try finding a place with four seasons. It may not seem like a huge deal to some, but picture yourself in that weather. Can you see yourself walking to class in the snow everyday? If not, then it may benefit you to explore colleges in a warm state. Weather plays a key role in determining whether or not you can live in a place, so choose wisely.
People When you’re leaving home for the first time, you’re also leaving behind a community of family and friends that you’ve built up for the past 18 years. Finding people with similar backgrounds and interests can help make the transition a little easier. Many choose to do this through Greek Life, sports, or outside clubs. Meeting new people is a huge part of the college experience. Other ways to meet people are through dorm rooms and halls, clubs, sports games, and classes. Ensure that wherever you end up, there is a group of people that you click with, so you can form a new home for yourself wherever you go.
Financial The importance of this depends on personal circumstance, but it is still beneficial for all to consider. If your tuition costs an arm and a leg, maybe consider a second option that is a little less pricey. This might include staying in state, or exploring colleges that offer financial packages. Even if money isn’t a problem, apply for as many local scholarships as you can to cushion the financial blow.
Passion No matter what you do after graduation, following your passion should be on the forefront of your mind. If you decide to go to college, major in something that deeply interests you. If you are planning on going into any career path, try to find a job that makes you feel fulfilled. There’s a common saying that goes, “If you find a job you’re passionate about, you’ll never work a day in your life.” We are both pursuing our passion by studying journalism in college, and we advise you to pursue your passion, too.
Feeling When you step foot onto a campus, it should feel like a second home. Can you picture yourself walking down that hall, studying in that library, or eating at that cafeteria? Same goes for your major. If you can’t, then that is not the place for you. We strongly recommend that you take this into strong consideration, because it may affect the rest of your life.
We want to leave you with one last piece of wisdom: It is never too late to change. If you hate where you end up in life, you can always transfer elsewhere, and choose new paths. It’s better to not know what you want than get stuck doing the wrong thing for the rest of your life. You only live once, so maximize your happiness to its greatest potential.
To all the seniors, we wish you good luck in your post-graduation plans and we cannot wait to see what the future holds for you all. Until next month…
Deuces – Kit & Sophia
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