By Staff Writer: Tricia Tucker

Deciding on a college to attend may seem like a simple task, but keep in mind that it is also a life altering decision.  It may be the only decision in your life that will affect not only your future career path, but all of the life-long relationships that will follow.  It may be the only place that will shape your future as you grow from an adolescent to an adult.

Cost

Although money may not be the first consideration when picking a college, it ought to be extremely important part of your decision.  Many students graduate college in a pool of debt, unable to afford the things they would like because of the hundreds of dollars they must pay each month in order to pay off their debt.  In October, 2012, the average student debt was 26,600 dollars.  In 2008, approximately 66% of graduates with a bachelor’s degree had student loan debt.  However, there are multiple ways to offset the cost. Colleges offer a variety of scholarships.  They may be awarded for academics, athletics, extra-curricular involvement, financial need or a combination of these factors.  Apply to multiple colleges, and consider the cost of the colleges before making your final decision.

Field of study

You may not have a specific career path that you are interested in pursuing.  For instance, you may know that you want to go into the health care field, but may not know the specific career path within healthcare that you would like to pursue.  Be certain that the college under consideration has an accredited program in your intended area(s) of study.  Also, consider the colleges that specialize in your intended career path.  In addition, many programs have waiting lists before you may enter into the program.  For example, many colleges have long waiting lists before entering into the nursing program.  On college tours, it is important to find out the anticipated wait time before you could be accepted into a given program, the rate of acceptance, and the minimum (and preferred) qualifications.

Activities

When touring colleges, it is also important to inquire about the extracurricular activities that are offered on-campus.  Even if you are not involved in high school, in college, you will be away from your friends and family, and there is an organization for everyone. Getting involved will allow you to meet new friends and form new, life-lasting relationships.  College friendships are found to be more lasting than those formed in high school. Consider the types of organizations that a college has, and the overall involvement of the student population at the college.

Location

It is also important to consider the environment in which the college is located.  If the college is in a rural area, is this something that would interest you?  If the college is in a large, busy, urban area, would you be okay with traffic jams, and possibly not being allowed to have a car on campus? If you need to have a job while in college, consider the places of employment in the area, both on and off campus.  It is also important to consider the amount of crime both on the college campus, and in the surrounding area.  The crime will not only affect your life on campus, but also your nightlife, potential for getting a job while in college, and overall feeling of security.

Weekend environment

You may also want to investigate on how the weekends flow on a campus you are considering.  For instance, in many colleges, students travel home for the weekend and the campus is left dead.  If you enjoy alone time and don’t like to be around others very often, then you’ll be fine with this.  However, if you are new on campus and all your new friends leave each weekend, you’re not going to have a very entertaining college experience.

There are many additional factors to consider when deciding on a college besides the ones listed above.  For instance, don’t choose a college just because your best friend is attending.  Select a school that best suits your needs. The school you choose can influence your life for years to come.