Figuring Out What You Want in a College

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There are a few things to consider with regard to location. One is your proximity to home. If you've never been away from home for an extended period, think about how you might feel once you're away. If it's important for you to be near your family, you should think about how close you want to be--a couple of hours or a couple of states away? Try to gauge how frequently you might want to visit, and if you're thinking about moving far away, take into account the expenses involved in traveling home.

I knew that I wanted to move to the West Coast, so I chose three different schools in California. I wanted a change of lifestyle, a change of scenery, and to move away from home, to get out.

If being near home is not a concern for you, think about possible regions in the country where you might like to live. Perhaps there is a particular area that has always interested you. College can be a great time to try out a new environment.

If you're going to go to college, try to go somewhere that is as far away from what you're used to as possible, somewhere where you can test out your theories on life. What's the point in testing them out in surroundings you're already used to, that you've already mastered?

Setting is another really important consideration. Colleges are located in cities, small towns, the suburbs, and rural areas. Consider the setting in which you currently live and decide if you want to seek out a similar situation or try something new. All settings have their advantages and disadvantages--it just depends what you're looking for. On the next page are some of the pros and cons of the most common college settings.

(College) Personality Matters
We've all been to a party where we felt really out of place or in situations where we just didn't fit in. It stinks. The last thing you want is for this to happen when you go to college. You want to feel comfortable being yourself and being around people to whom you can relate. That's why it's important to give some thought to social tone and figure out what would make you comfortable.

You can start off by thinking about your current situation. What kinds of people do you like to hang out with and what kinds of things do you do together? You don't have to seek a similar environment in college--in fact, it's probably a bad idea to limit yourself to what you already know really well. But know the general type of a social atmosphere you're looking for.

I think what was really important for me was to have a really diverse school, not just racially, but in terms of the kind of people who go there. At Harvard, you get all kinds of people.

The social tone of a school depends on the backgrounds of the students there and the types of things that interest them, including what they're studying. At some schools, a certain political bent will dominate. The Greek system of fraternities and sororities can play a big role in campus life, or it may be entirely absent. Depending on the college, students can also be socially aware, artsy, dress conscious, career oriented, studious, athletic, sophisticated, laid-back, open, ambitious, fun, etc. Think about the types of people with whom you want to spend the next four years.

We keep repeating this fact, but make sure that you're choosing something because that's what you want. It's all too easy to get caught up in someone else's idea of what's cool. Maybe your best friend talks all the time about the great social opportunities to be had at really big schools. But just because that's what he's interested in, doesn't mean it's good for you. Another friend might be dead set on joining a fraternity or sorority. That doesn't mean that you have to. This is your life, so make your own choices.