It’s your senior year.  You should’ve already begun researching colleges, universities, and trade schools, but if not it’s time to get started.    

There are many things to consider when choosing an institution of higher learning including size, location, cost, housing, variety of academic programs, and most importantly your choice of career will play a major factor in determining which type of institution you will choose.

According to US News and World Report, 1in 3 first-year college students decide not to return to the same college for sophomore year, so do your research.  It’s easier to succeed in college when you find the right fit.  This is a great time to figure out your interests, values, likes, and dislikes.

4-Year College, 2-Year College or Trade School?

You may be wondering which type of college to attend, and honestly, it depends on what your future plans are.  Of course, if you want to be a doctor you need to attend a 4-year university, someone interested in being a cosmetologist or maybe a pharmacy technician would attend a trade school or community college, although community colleges offer a variety of vocational studies.  In any case, each institution is different and will offer diverse avenues after you graduate.

Four-year College

• Offer bachelor’s degrees which in most cases give its earners the ability to make more money and fill a larger variety of jobs than people who attend a two-year college or trade school.
• May take less than four years, to earn a bachelors degree depending on your course load and if you attend summer school, but it may also take more than four years.  
• These colleges also offer advanced degrees, like master’s and doctoral degrees, giving you the opportunity to continue your studies at the same institution. 
• Not only do you study subjects relevant to your major at these institutions, but you are also required to take a certain number of credit hours in areas such as the humanities, philosophy, or religion, depending on which university you attend. 

Two-year College

• Also known as community or junior colleges.
• The vast majority of these colleges have an open admissions policy, where they accept all students with a high school diploma or the equivalent.  This is a plus for students who want to attend a 4-year university, but academically are not ready.  These institutions prepare students to continue their education at a 4-year university.
• Upon completing your coursework you will receive an Associate’s degree and will be ready to go out into the world of work.

 Trade School

• Trade schools prepare you to be certified or licensed in a specific career like hairdressing, plumbing, or court reporting.  
• Generally take less than two years to complete and is less expensive than a 4-year university.

After deciding which type of school you will be attending, it’s time to research cost, variety of academic programs, locations, college size, and housing. 

Cost

Ask your parents how much they are willing to contribute to your education and how much they are expecting you to be responsible for.  Take into account out-of-state fees, which in some cases, almost double tuition, dormitory, and meal plan fees if you plan to attend college in another state than which you currently reside.  As you are researching cost, also start researching scholarships, another option to subsidize your education.  We’ll talk more about scholarships later on.

Academics

If you are sure about what you want to major in, then you should choose colleges that are strong in this area, but if you are not yet sure about your college major, choose 3-5 academic fields that interests you and choose schools that are strong in these areas.

Locations

Sometimes weather affects people’s moods and productivity, so when choosing a college decide if you would be more likely to thrive in a warm or cold climate.  Are you a family-oriented person?  Decide if you want to attend college in the state you currently reside or if you want to explore the country by attending school in another state.  Are you a person who wants to participate in extracurricular activities outside of school?  Consider this when deciding if you would prefer a college in a rural area or the city.      

College Size

Decide if you want to attend a small or large university.  When thinking about this consider the following things:  student-to-teacher ratio, class size, familiarity with the student body, and ability to use the universities resources, like the library, resource rooms, and dining facilities.

Housing

Do you plan to live at home or on campus?  Most likely if you attend school in another state you will live on campus, and actually it’s a great experience even if you attend college where you currently reside.  Living on campus gives you the opportunity to meet more people, participate in more campus activities, and use the school’s resources like the library, study rooms, and computers. 

A word to the wise, in a roommate situation, you must be willing to trust, compromise, and communicate.  Some people may not be as clean, or as academically dedicated as you are.  Talk to your roommate about your likes and dislikes and establish boundaries in the beginning, so both of your experiences can be enjoyable. 

Lastly, talk to students who are currently attending the university you want to attend, if anyone will give you the real scoop they will, visit the campus, and attend a college class to get a feel for what classes in your chosen major will be like.  Remember, your parents, high school guidance counselors, and college admissions counselors, college catalogs, and websites are great resources during your time of research and preparation for the next stage of your life.