Choosing a College can be tough but you can narrow down which one is right for you!

If you have some idea of what you want in a university but have a few choices, consider making a list of factors that are important to you. Some of the factors that I considered when Choosing a College were:

• Cost
• Convenience
• Location
• Reputation
• Academic program(s)
• Semester vs. quarter
• Community college vs. 4-year university
• etc.

I will go through each of these factors in more detail later on.

Photo by UBC Library Graphics

I categorized my factors into two subsets. One category is a 'must' and the other is 'compromiseable' (this is not a real word, by the way). You should consider doing this especially if you are choosing between your two best colleges.

The factors you choose will be beneficial to you later on since they will help you keep your sanity during your most difficult times in school. In other words, the trade-off must not be too big that you will be unhappy for all 2-4 years of your academic life.

If tuition is a big issue for you, there are ways to get a college education without putting a strain on your bank account (or your parent's). For example you may cut tuition and boarding costs by going to a community college first. Even if your heart is set on going to your dream school, you might want to consider this option.

I have first-hand knowledge regarding this because I transferred from a community college to the University of California system myself. It was one of the best decisions I have made in my academic life. Thinking back now, I probably wouldn't be the student that I am if I didn't go to a community college.

Besides saving you money, going to a community college may have a lot more benefits than you think. Also, you don't have to sacrifice everything because if you decide to go to a 4-year university later on, you can always transfer. Read on to compare the two choices.

Online schools are very common nowadays and they are a good alternative to traditional, four-year schools. Because there are many online schools, you have to find a way to pick one that best fits your personality. There are various academic programs and course designs available in online schools so you can find one that will best fit your needs.

If you are a little confused but want to know more about online schools, read on as I discuss how your personality and situation can help you choose which academic programs (majors) and course designs are right for you.

Would you rather stay close to home or live in the college dorms? Of course, there are always advantages and disadvantages. If the advantages outweigh the bad ones, then this will probably an easy decision for you. If you are clueless, then maybe I can help you out a little bit.

From experience, I have tried both. I have lived with my parents while I was going to a community college. After two years there, I moved-out to go to a university that is six hours away from them. Which one do I like best? It depends. Learn from my experience by reading my pros and cons section .

Not all schools are equal. Duh?! We all know that. For this reason, consider this factor a very important one when deciding which university to attend. This is especially true if your field/major is highly specialized such as biology (for medical school), animal science (for veterinary school), engineering, business etc. Making the right decision here may affect your job outlook when you graduate as well as your income earning potential.

Throughout your academic life, especially during high school and onwards, you will keep hearing which universities fair better for certain majors. Getting accepted into these majors is fairly manageable if you keep your grades up (and they don't have to be wwwwaaayyyy up!). If your grades are competitive and you have a steady string of extracurricular activities, you will do just fine. Click here for my story on how I made my decision.

The type of system you choose will partly depend on your study habits. Some other factors are how fast you learn, how much study time you have, lifestyle etc. For example, if you are the type of person who likes to take his/her time, then the semester system will be better for you. I personally experienced both quarter and semester systems and I can tell you their advantages and disadvantages.

I liked them both but not all the time. If you are good at adapting to new situations, then you'll do fine either way. Check out the following link for a comparison between the two systems.

ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: Blink Del.icio.us Digg
Furl Google Simpy Spurl Technorati Y! MyWeb