What university is right for you?
It’s OK if you don’t have an answer just yet; you don’t need to rush your decision. But if you’re about to start applications, you do need to narrow your choices into a manageable list.
There are thousands of colleges in the U.S., so it’s not an easy decision. To help you figure out which is right for you, here’s a list of factors to help guide your search. You can find a lot of information online, but you can also schedule a campus tour to ask college staff directly.
Stick around to the end, where you can find a college comparison worksheet with a suggested system to help narrow down your list.
Academic offering and flexibility
The most important thing about a college is the quality and breadth of its academic programs. When you start your college search, consider the majors and minors you want to pursue. Assess those degree programs at each school, its reputation for that study, the professors in those departments and the classes you need to take.
You may change your major during college. According to the National Center for Education Studies, most university students change theirs at least once, so you should look at how each school handles that.
Here are a few other things to consider:
- Examine how the university integrates interdisciplinary practices into your education. That means you learn from more than one field of study, which prepares you to tackle real-world issues with a broad perspective and skill set. It may look like interdisciplinary majors, double majors or other options to customize your education.
- An education helps you launch a career, so you want your university to bridge the step between school and a job. Look for hands-on learning, whether that’s research or internship opportunities, senior projects or even on-campus clubs.
- When you apply to schools, you should include some you’re almost certain to get in to, some you’re likely to get into and some ideal stretch schools. Compare the requirements for admission to your situation.
Financial considerations
The second big question is: how much does it cost to attend this university?
All colleges and universities provide cost of attendance online, which is the estimated total cost to attend that institution for a year. Your financial aid offsets this cost. While you can compare financial aid offer letters from schools, you only get those after you’re accepted.
Some other things to consider:
- You don’t have to shoulder the sticker price of a school by yourself. There are outside scholarships but look at what the university itself offers. Examine the kinds of merit-based scholarships it offers and the kinds of grants you can apply for.
- You may want to get a job while you’re in school. Consider what on-campus jobs are available. You could also look at what’s available at businesses surrounding the school.
- You need a place to live while you study. Look into on- and off-campus housing options, how much it costs and whether there’s a lot of competition for it.
- Where will you eat in college? Compare how much you pay for the meal plan and what you get.
Location, campus culture and student life
You don’t spend all your time in the classroom. Investigate what day-to-day life is like on campus, the organizations you can join, the activities you can do and where you can go. You live on or near campus for years, so you want to go to a university that feels like home.
The first big consideration is where the college is located, which has a big impact on your experience. You may want to visit home on the weekend, or you may be itching to live somewhere completely new. A campus tour can help you decide whether the locale is right for you.
Keep in mind that your university is also your home for four years. Student life is created by the students who attend that university, so it can be hard to describe. But, when you research or go on a campus tour, here are some factors to consider:
- The size of the student body
- The student clubs, Greek life and other on-campus organizations
- The events that are held each quarter/semester or year
- How the university supports a diverse student population
- The kinds of hang-out or study spots are available
Support services and resources
Everyone needs help from time to time, whether it’s for class or your wellbeing. Take some time to investigate the services the university offers you. It’s better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
Look up the university’s student support services office and what it offers you. Tutoring, resources for those with disabilities and the kinds of digital learning tools available.
It’s important to have access to good health care when you’re at school, too. Look into the options you have for health care or mental health services on or near campus.
Career preparation and outcomes
A university education is your first step toward a career. Look for schools that prepare you for the job market with robust career services, opportunities to connect with employers or internship programs.
Most universities have career services centers, so you can compare the services you have access to. Look for resume reviews, ways to improve your interview skills and similar resources. Colleges may also organize networking opportunities or job fairs to help you get your foot in the door.
If you’re interested in a career that requires specialized graduate studies, like medicine or law, see if the university helps you prepare for that pathway. If it has a graduate program in the field you’re interested in, find out how the university helps you take that next step.
College comparison worksheet
When you start your search, you have a huge list of colleges to choose from. It can be time consuming to research each one, so here’s a method to narrow your list down to a manageable set of choices.
You can either make a copy of this worksheet or download it as an excel file. It has several questions you can ask to quickly eliminate colleges that don’t meet important criteria for you. Once you have your shorter list, you can dive deeply into each one.
Keep in mind, this is just a recommended method. If there’s a university that you really want to go to and it doesn’t make the cut, include it in your list. You know your priorities best.