If you have read my first post about where you want to go to college and have thought about those questions, it is time to move onto more specific things about your college. One of the most most important things to consider now is geography. Depending on what you want to do in college your options for location may already be very limited. However, if your answers the first two questions didn’t already limit your location options there are some important questions to consider to help you decide where you want to be geographically. Do you even want to stay in the U.S? How far away from home do you want to be? Do you want to be able to go home for the weekends to see your family or do you want to go far far away and train to find a good sense of independence? Do you want to try something in between where you are far too far away to drive home for weekends, but you can easily drive home for breaks? Another thing to think about when deciding where you want to go geographically reflect on if your mental health thrives in warmer places because the sun is better, or do you want to experience some cold winters like the ones in Minnesota. If you are looking for adventure in college you may want to choose a place far from home so you can gain new experiences. However, if you are looking to change fewer things at a time because you don’t want to overwhelm yourself you might what to choose something similar to your home(Ben).

It is always important to consider the cost of your decision. I am very happy to be one of the lucky ones who doesn’t have to think about this in my decision because my parents have been saving up money for me to go to college and have agreed to pay for four years of my post-secondary education. However, many people are not that lucky. It is important to find a school you can afford to go to. According to College Choice, “Today’s college students are paying an average of 12 times more than what students paid in 1978,” which can add up to a lot of debt. Unfortunately, student debt has to be paid off and it doesn’t even go away if you file for bankruptcy. If you are not sure if you will be able to pay off your student loans you should probably look into other options. However, when looking at schools you should look into more than just the sticker prices of colleges. It is important to remember that most schools give out scholarships so it is possible to go to expensive schools with a low budget. One good resource for all things involving colleges, but in this case student loans that I found was College Board. Hopefully, each of these things will help you narrow down your college decisions even further so that you are ready when friends and relatives begin asking you where you want to go. 

Works Cited 

Ben. “Colleges and Universities: Choosing the Right Fit.” Peterson’s, Peterson’s, 2 May 2019, www.petersons.com/blog/colleges-and-universities-choosing-the-right-fit/. Accessed 16 November 2019. 

“Creating Pathways.” National Association for College Admission Counseling, www.nacacnet.org/. Accessed 16 November 2019. 

“The Different Types of Colleges.” College Greenlight, 19 Sept. 2013, blog.collegegreenlight.com/blog/the-different-types-of-colleges/.  Accessed 16 November 2019. 

“Is College Worth Going into Debt For?” College Choice, www.collegechoice.net/is-college-worth-going-into-debt-for/. Accessed 16 November 2019. 

“NACAC National College Fairs- College Types.” National Association for College Admission Counseling, www.nacacfairs.org/learn/search/college-types/. Accessed 16 November 2019. 

“Pay for College: 8 Tips for Taking Out Student Loans.” Pay for College | 8 Tips for Taking Out Student Loans, bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/loans/8-tips-for-taking-out-student-loans. Accessed 16 November 2019.