Good Morning Green Panda Readers.  It’s time for the next post in our “Me, My College Education, and My Money” series.  I hope that you have been enjoying our series so far.  Today we are discussing applying to colleges and how to choose the best college for you.

The Best College For You

Going to College is a big decision and it is definitely a personal decision.  In my family going to college is not an option, it is a necessity; so my only decision was which college to attend and which colleges to apply to as an undergraduate student.

Different colleges are known for different qualities.  Some colleges have good athletic programs, some colleges have great social studies programs, some colleges have excellent business schools, and some colleges have great graduate programs.

The best college for us depends on what type of education we want and where we want our life to take us after graduation.  The problem is that many first year college students have no idea what they want to study, where they want to attend college, or what they want to do after graduation.

At 19 years old I had no idea what I wanted to do in life, I have always loved writing but it has always been a hobby.  I wasn’t sure that I wanted a formal education in writing. At 19 I knew that I had to go to College but I didn’t know what I wanted to study; however I did know that I didn’t want to do it close to home.

How To Choose The Best College

There are several factors that we need to consider when choosing the best college for us.  Ideally we should choose a college that offers the best choices for our program of study. However there are many other factors that we need to consider.

When choosing the best college for us we have to consider the cost of college tuition as well as the cost of living in the city where we want to attend college.  We should always apply to at least 3 colleges to make sure that we have a backup plan in case we are not accepted to our first choice college.

Other factors to consider when we are applying to colleges are the proximity to home, the safety of the city, as well as career opportunities after graduation.  Also we may want to choose a college where are friends are attending to make sure that we are not completely alone.

I went away to college and I know that my transition into college life would have been a lot easier if I had at least one close family member or friend with me.  I moved away from home to get out of my small town and away from my family, but honestly sometimes I didn’t like being alone.

Don’t Forget to Check Out the previous posts in the “Me, My College Education and My Money” series:

Choices in College that We have to Make

Use Your Time in College Wisely

Trade School or College Diploma

Graduate From College Debt Free

Photo by JustinMarty

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