3 Important Aspects to Consider in Your College Search

How do you find the right college for you? Everyone's different, but there are three universal factors you should consider. Find out why they're important here!

With the college search season well on its way, many students find themselves in a predicament: Where do they begin? Where do they apply? And how do they know which college is going to be the best fit for them? Although all these questions probably aren’t going to answered in one day, I do advise creating a list of aspects and features you feel are important to you when searching for a college or technical school. These aspects characteristics will differ from person to person because each student is looking for different things in their ideal post-secondary school. But in your personal search, there are three big things you should consider.

1. Affordability

It’s no surprise that college is expensive, regardless of one’s residency or economic status. Out-of-state students attending public four-year colleges pay a yearly average of $23,890 in tuition and fees, while in-state students pay $9,410, according to the College Board. On the other hand, public two-year colleges for in-district students cost $3,440 per year, and private four-year colleges cost $32,410. This doesn’t even include the many other costs of college such as transportation, personal expenses, room and board, books, and other supplies you need during the academic year. Remember, these costs are generalizations and don’t represent the tuition costs for every college. On the bright side, the College Board reports that “half of all full-time undergraduate students at public and private nonprofit four-year colleges attend institutions that charge tuition and fees of $11,814 or less.”

It costs money to go to college or technical school, which is why it’s important for you to take the time and consider how much you’re willing and able to pay to attend. Most post-secondary education institutions have a cost of attendance sheet that can be found on their websites. This information provides current and prospective students information regarding cost estimates of attending that school (including housing, meals, transportation, and personal expenses) for both in-state and out-of-state students. When considering which school to apply to, it’s helpful to compare the costs of attendance for each to determine whether you’re getting the most bang for your buck.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to the College Search: How to Find Your Perfect College Match

2. Location

It’s easy to minimize the effects of homesickness in college, but these effects are real and impactful. Some students want to attend college far away, while some want to stay close to home. Although there are many reasons to consider both options, the choice students make will have an impact on their academic success in college. It isn’t wrong to choose to attend a college farther away from home if you consider yourself a homebody who’s attached to your friends and family. However, it is important to consider the ways you’ll maintain these connections to home if you were to attend a college far away. And if you’re willing and wanting to attend a school far away, consider whether you have the resources and funds to do so. Ask yourself: Where will I be living? Who will I be living with? Am I ready for this independent step? What is the area like? These are just some questions you should ask during your college search.

Related: 30 Questions You Need to Ask Before Choosing a College

3. Majors

Having a personal goal and remembering why you want to attain a post-secondary education in the first place will help you orient yourself during what feels like a massive and endless college search. For example, if you want to major in Biology, Business, or Accounting, it helps to search for colleges that have these majors and also a great reputation at producing successful graduates in these fields. The same principle applies if you’re looking to attend a trade or technical school.

What if you don’t know what you want to study? During your college search, research the resources that each institution on your list has to help students who are undecided or unsure about what they want to major in. These resources should help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, interests, and dislikes through various courses and meetings with academic advisors. The last thing you want to do is waste your college years confused and undecided.

Besides the three aspects above, it’s also beneficial to consider an institution’s grading system, available housing, career assistance, class sizes, campus size, extracurricular activities, and reputation. All of these aspects are going to impact your ultimate success.

Related: 12 Things to Look for in Your Colleges

For more assistance and guidance, try to make an appointment to meet with your guidance or career counselors. You have the option of going about your college search alone, but you don’t have to. Use your local and school resources to search for institutions that will fit your individual needs, wants, and goals!

Ready to start the hunt for the perfect school? Start your college search right here on CollegeXpress!

Like what you’re reading?

Join the CollegeXpress community! Create a free account and we’ll notify you about new articles, scholarship deadlines, and more.

Join Now

Tags:

About Kiarra Louis

Kiarra Louis

"I write to live and I live to write." I am 17 years old and continuously finding myself inspired by the world around me. Books are my solace and always has been. Apart from writing, I like to watch films based on true stories and learn from them as I try to do with everything else in life. I could be described as dedicated, creative, and open minded.

 

Join our community of
over 5 million students!

CollegeXpress has everything you need to simplify your college search, get connected to schools, and find your perfect fit.

Join CollegeXpress

College Quick Connect

Swipe right to request information.
Swipe left if you're not interested.

Oklahoma Baptist University

Shawnee, OK


Josiah Kegg

Josiah Kegg

High School Class of 2021

I want to sincerely thank you all for this amazing website that's legitimately helped me find so many different scholarship opportunities. I've been stressing out for the longest time about paying for college since I would rather stay out of debt and have been working days trying to find any scholarship opportunity. When I found CollegeXpress, I discovered many easy scholarships that have given me hope for the future. Thank you and God bless!

Daniel Ogunlokun

Daniel Ogunlokun

High School Class of 2022

When I started looking at colleges in the beginning of my senior year, I was conflicted about which ones I wanted to attend based on safety, tuition costs, location, academic rigor, and prestige. Searching the internet and getting more questions than answers, I came across CollegeXpress, which made all the steps I had taken look like a minor issue. Everything was summarized and detailed, and I couldn't be more thankful and appreciative.

Carlie Cadet

Carlie Cadet

High School Class of 2019

CollegeXpress has helped me learn about an abundance of scholarships available to me and my situation. I was able to do research for colleges in my best interest with your website. I've had multiple colleges email me and offer me multiple scholarships and things of that nature because of this website! Thank you so much for uploading scholarships I didn’t even know existed, even if my life took a huge turn and I wasn’t able to go to college straight out of high school. CollegeXpress helped me a lot in high school to be even more motivated to get into my dream college (which I did, by the way). I'm looking forward to using the materials CollegeXpress has kindly provided me for free to look for scholarships to help pay for college.

Kelly Nogueiro

Kelly Nogueiro

Counselor

For me, CollegeXpress has given me a valuable tool to use with my students to explore colleges easily beyond objective data. It helps me find colleges for students that fit their needs and wants that aren’t quite so black and white. It's a wealth of knowledge, and the Type-A side of me loves all the lists and the fact that I know they're coming from folks who know what they're talking about. I share it with colleagues and students alike, and it's always well received.

Maurice Whan

Maurice Whan

$2,000 Spring Scholarship Contest Winner, 2021

This year has been tough for my family and myself, so receiving this scholarship has been a blessing in disguise! CollegeXpress has been an excellent resource in helping me prepare financially for college. Thank you again for this amazing opportunity!