College is every parent’s dream. Your parents are probably pressuring you to attend college right away, as soon as you graduate high school. Your teachers probably are, too. Your parents might have strong opinions about what college you attend, whether it’s an Ivy League school, or a university close to home. At the end of the day, however, your college decision is completely up to you.
Before you head off to school, there are a few things you should decide. More than just “what school” and “what career,” you should also know the answers to each of the questions on this list. College is a big decision, and the wrong choices could leave you worse off in the future.
Don’t make the wrong decisions when it comes to college, and don’t attend school for the wrong reasons. Seriously consider your future, and make the best choice for you–beyond everybody’s expectations.
What Are You Going To Study?
Before you attend any university, you should know what you want to study, or at least have a general idea. Halfway through, you might find that you don’t enjoy your career of choice. If you go to school with three careers in mind, you can swap out your failed career choice for another one. Have a backup field of choice, and don’t be afraid to stick to gen-ed classes your first year.
How Will You Pay for It?
College debt is the burden of 70% of graduates, and the average student has at least $30,000 in loans. Your parents may be pushing you to attend an auspicious college, but you’d be better off with a less expensive college in many cases, especially for an undergraduate degree. Even a trade school or associate’s degree might leave you better off financially, since some of them pay at least as well as a bachelor’s degree. Don’t take out huge loans and solve this problem later. Know what you can spend before you attend school.
Can You Commute?
Another great way to save on cost for college is to commute. Room and board add another few thousand to your debt total, so living at home and driving to campus would save you money. To commute, you’d need reliable transportation: no rides from Mom and Dad, shared car situations, or bus routes will cut it. Head to a car dealership if you think commuting is the right option for you.
Do You Want to Stay Close to Home?
Some students want to stay close to their family and their high school friends. If you’ve got great relationships you don’t want to give up, or if you want to live at home to save on debt, you can choose a university close to your hometown. On the other hand, some students crave the opportunity to get away from home and achieve independence. Before you choose a school, you should decide which is more important for you.
Do You Want to Be on Campus?
If you commute (or learn online) you won’t be able to experience all the fun of campus life. Commuters can participate in campus activities, but they’ll miss some of the adventures of dorm life. If college community is important to you and you want to live college adventures to the max, then you may want to live on campus. You might never try naked vape juice or have deep conversations until 3 am if you live at home.
What Off-Campus Opportunities Are Important to You?
The school you choose will have more than dorm life, courses of study, and campus opportunities. It will have off-campus opportunities as well. Are you content to go to a school in the cornfields of Indiana, where students make their own fun? Or do you want to attend school in Chicago, where the off-campus life provides you with great opportunities?
Do You Want to Learn Online?
If you really want to save money on your college degree, you can consider getting your education online. Online courses are much cheaper, and they’re usually flexible. If you self-pace, you could finish your degree more quickly, or you could achieve it more slowly, while working on the side. Online schools over everything from an RN to BSN degree program to a business communication degree to a master’s in psychology.
Are You Going Just to Party?
Some students go to college and spend their entire time partying. If you’re the one paying for your education, you don’t want to be so flippant with your opportunities. You can absolutely party sometimes (once you’re 21) with great finds from a liquor store in Woodbridge, NJ. Your goal should be to learn and achieve a better life, however. If all you want to do in party, rethink college.
Do You Actually Want to Go?
One of the biggest choices you’ll have to make is… do you actually want to go to college? A college degree today is a lot like a high school diploma a hundred years ago. There are few satisfying, well-paying jobs you can work without a degree. You do, however, have options. There are certifications, associate’s degrees, or self-taught paths towards certain careers. You don’t have to go to college if your heart isn’t in it.
Are You Ready to Go?
You might know college is in your future, but you might not be ready. You may have no idea what you actually want to go for. You may have no savings ready to pay for parts of your tuition. If you’re not ready to go to college yet, don’t stress it. Work for a year, or get a certification you know you’ll enjoy, like being a CNA or automotive technician, and work at that job for a few years. You can choose a university, and a career, once you’ve had more time to decide.
