Photo Courtesy of Kyaran Brooks

Senior Kyaran Brooks poses in front of Washington College banner. “I’m going to a liberal arts college. Being able to combine different majors and not having to stick to one path is something that I really like because I have different interests and I want to study different things is definitely a major factor,” Brooks said.

Finding the perfect college is crucial for high schoolers pursuing higher education. There are a multitude of factors that must be taken into consideration when deciding which college one should go to; this causes a dilemma among students, as many are unsure of what characteristics a college should have. Below are a few criteria that current seniors have deemed helpful in choosing their university.

Programs and opportunities
Academics are surely a very important factor in deciding whether a college is the right fit. Some colleges offer classes that others don’t, which helps students narrow down their decisions. Additionally, the difference between liberal arts and research colleges can be a big factor in one’s decision. For example, If one has broader interests, Liberal arts colleges are a great option in comparison to research colleges, where it heavily focuses on the specific major that one chooses.

Additionally, opportunities that colleges offer are also taken into consideration, internships and study-abroad programs being a few.

Campus and location
The physical aspect of the campus is another crucial criteria to one’s decision, especially because students are going to reside in their colleges for the next two to four years. Some things to examine are the environment, the campus surrounding town or city, size and its accessibility. The choice on which campus to attend is largely based on one’s personal preferences.

Total cost
The overall cost of attendance can be a large determining factor for one to decide whether they will enroll in a school. Depending on one’s financial situation, there are some colleges that will be over the budget.

Some schools provide a large amount of financial aid for students, while others might not give as much or at all. This makes it easier for students to make the decision on which school they want to attend if money is being taken into consideration.

Although there are more things that come into play when deciding what colleges to attend, this brief list contains the essentials that must always be thought about before deciding which colleges to go to.