Hey y’all! Even though I’m graduating in a few months(!!), I still wanted to write this post for any of y’all who might be deciding on a college in the coming weeks, or even starting to look at colleges for the future! Choosing the right college is a big decision, and it can be really overwhelming with all of the information presented to you. Hopefully, I’ll be able to guide you in the right direction so that you can have the best four years of your life!
Choosing the Right College: Get those campus vibes
I’m a strong believer that every campus has a different vibe, and that you really have to connect with the energy of the campus. You’re probably like Hannah, what the heck are you talking about??
But trust me on this one. You know when you walk into a certain place, maybe a cool coffee shop or museum, and you just feel like everything is right? Those are the feelings you need to get from a college campus.
Some campuses probably won’t give you those vibes, and that’s okay! But if you’re walking around picturing yourself laying on the quad with friends or doing cool research in the lab, then that’s a good sign!!
If you can’t visit a specific campus, try watching YouTube videos or looking at the college website. You should get those butterfly vibes too!
Somehow, I still managed to get vibes from Notre Dame during the dead of winter!
Choosing the Right College: Make sure they offer your major
You can imagine my disappointment when I sat in a Wake Forest info session and realized they didn’t even offer chemical engineering. (Also, yes, I’m a chemical engineer with a blog!!) Make sure that each college that you’re considering offers your intended major!
Regardless if you go into college knowing your major or not, it never hurts to research all your options. If you think you want to be engineering but also love history, make sure your school offers both!
It also never hurts to ask how easy it is to transfer majors. You wouldn’t want to be stuck in business if you take a biology class and decide you love that more!
Choosing the Right College: Write Down What’s Important to You
From going on dozens of college tours, I know how overwhelming it can be to narrow down your choices when every info session throws a novels-worth of information at you. Before reviewing the materials and college website, make a list of what’s important to you — make sure to include some “non-negotiables” as well as things that you would love to have but aren’t total deal-breakers.
Hopefully, writing your needs down will make going through each college a little bit easier and help you narrow it down to one perfect school! Obviously, oversized Rice Krispies Treats were on my “non-negotiables” list 🙂
Choosing the Right College: Take Notes During Tours
This tip might not be super helpful if you’ve already gone on tours and are now trying to narrow your choices. But, like I said above, the tours always provide a wealth of information — sometimes too much to handle all at once.
Try to take notes if you can so that you can set each tour apart from one another when you get home. Your notes will also help you to craft that list of what you’re looking for in a school.
If you’ve already taken your tours, see if you can talk to someone who already goes to each school and see what they have to say. Sometimes, the tours are great for hard facts (enrollment, majors, and clubs offered, etc.) but they don’t really give an insider perspective on college life. YouTube videos and blogs are also a great way to learn about other schools!
So those are my tips for (hopefully) narrowing down your options and choosing the best college for you! Are you choosing a college this spring, or have you already committed? We’d love to know where you’re going (or where you went to college!). Make sure to tweet us @theswirlblog and follow us on Instagram @theswirlblog for more of our crazy college (soon to be adult(!)) adventures!
cheers,
