The College Decision in the USA
The college decision in the USA is probably one of the hardest, but also one of the most impactful decisions someone makes in his life. When I chose my college there were a lot of aspects that I was not encountering, but I should have looked at when looking for a university in the US. After deciding that you want to study abroad, you should encounter the following aspects.
The first steps in the college decision
The first thing you should do when looking for a university in the USA is asking yourself “How do you picture your perfect college life? What are the most important qualities you think a university should have”. There are a lot of things to consider, from the class room size to the location where the school is located.
The main aspects you should ask yourself are:
Research
To answer the questions above, the research is very important. You should look at the social media websites of the colleges and universities. Maybe the University offers tours online on e.g. YouTube. Also, take a look at the universities website to see what they offer as programs, majors, clubs, sports, etc. The college should provide housing information, if you are interested in that. A lot of times you can book a campus tour, too, if you get the chance to visit the college or university. Another website you should look at is niche.com. The website lists all university with grades in different sectors. Here you can compare the universities you are looking at, find new universities, and gather data of the college such as the acceptance rate. This website is also where you can get an insight about the university’s ranking.
My own college decision
When I chose my college, I was not aware about how important those aspects were. I was recruited for playin college tennis so I heard from multiple schools making offers. Coaches talked to me and I made my decision more based on my conversation with the coaches than on the facts that the university was providing. I was not aware what an impact for example the campus size can have. Since I am international I was not even considering getting a car. Now, my college is small. I do not need a car to get to my classes, but I did not know that there are schools where a car you need one. Also, I did not know how important the location of the college is. Since my school is very rural, there are not a lot of things to do around. I do not have an issue with that because I am a student athlete . I do not have a lot of free time because I also found a job on campus. However, I know other students that are not involved on campus are getting bored faster. Overall, I am happy with the college I chose, but when I did my college decision I wish I would have known more what to encounter, and how to find the information.
