25 Questions to Ask Yourself When Choosing a College

Campus Location

1. Would I rather be in a city or a small town?
2. How difficult will it be for me to travel home?
3. How far is the nearest grocery store and drug store?
4. Can I tolerate cold winters or hot weather?
5. Is there parking on campus or will I need to take a bus, walk or ride a bike to get to class?
6. What kind of housing options will I have as a first-year student? What about in later years?

Academics

1. Do I want to attend a large school or a small school?
2. Would I prefer to be in large classes or small classes?
3. Does the college offer my major? Is it nationally ranked as one of the best programs?
4. If I’m undecided on my major, does the college offer a broad choice of majors or is it known for one or two courses of study?
5. Does the college have a study abroad option?
6. What is its four-year graduation rate?
7. What are its job and internship placement rates?

Social Life

1. Does the college have a large number of sororities and fraternities, and am I interested or uninterested in joining?
2. Does the college have students who are like me or have a similar background to me?
3. Would I prefer a single gender or co-ed college?
4. Does it matter to me if the college is church affiliated?
5. Are there opportunities for intramural athletics, clubs and other organizations that might interest me?
6. Does the college have a reputation as a “party school” and how do I feel about that?

Cost

1. How much does one year of tuition and room and board? Do the cost go up each year?
2. What extra fees will I have to pay for? Parking? Greek life? Clubs? Lab fees? Graduation fees? What are my meal plan options?
3. What kinds of scholarships does the college offer?
4. What kind of work-study opportunities are available?
5. Am I willing to work during college, and if so, how many hours a week?