Once you’ve been accepted to two great colleges, you have a tough decision to make. Many colleges have similar academic programs, financial aid packages, and sports programs – so it can be hard to determine which one is the best for your needs.
Talk to your parents, friends, high school teachers, and guidance counselors to get an idea of what they think is best for you. Sometimes, others can give us insights we miss. Use a combination of research, opinions, and personal feelings to gauge which school is right for you.
Academic Excellence
When comparing the two schools, check to see if one has a better academic reputation than the other. Visit the Princeton Review and check their academic ratings. Schools receive a number grade from 60 to 99. The number indicates how hard students work and what they receive for their efforts.
The Princeton Review grades are compiled from statistics reported by the colleges and from student surveys.
Also, determine which school ranks higher for your major. If you want to study psychology, for example, the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, Stanford, UCLA, Harvard, and the University of California-Berkeley are the highest-ranked schools, according to U.S. News and World Report. Research to determine the ranking of each school for your intended major.
You’ll also want to check into the credentials and teaching style of the professors in your prospective major. What do other students say about them? Ask around during your visit to the school, and check online sources that rate professors.
You want to study with professors devoted to their students, not celebrity professors or academics, more interested in their research than teaching class.
Check out the course requirements for your major and elective subjects. Do both schools have the same general education requirements? What about exclusive content, course topics, and unique classes?
Look at course catalogs for both schools and compare the classes, the syllabuses for each class, and requirements for graduation. Which school has more appealing classes?
Graduate Programs
If you’re interested in graduate work, check to see if the schools offer fast track programs. A fast track program lets students double senior year credits towards a masters degree. A fast track program saves you a year’s worth of time and money.
If you want to earn a master’s or doctorate in your chosen field, be sure the college you choose offers advanced degrees in that subject. Consider your career goals. Students who want to run a non-profit organization will probably need an advanced degree.
Choose a school that offers master’s or doctorate degrees in your chosen field. You’ll also want to make sure the advanced degree programs offer the same educational quality as the undergraduate program.
Financial Aid
If you need financial aid, it’s best to choose a school that will cover all, or most, of the costs associated with college.
How much money will you, or your parents, need to pay each year? Include books, room and board, fees, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses.
Do you qualify for a free ride or partial scholarship? Will you need to take out a public or private loan? If you take out a loan, how will you pay it back?
The amount you receive from financial aid may change yearly, according to your family or personal income and rising tuition.
Public colleges cost less than private schools, but don’t let the cost alone determine where you should go to school. Make your decision based on what the schools can offer you. Don’t assume a private school is better because it costs more or has a prestigious history. Consider your goals, your major, the school’s location, and extracurricular activities as well as cost.
Compare the financial aid offered by each school. If one college meets all or most of your financial needs, and the other very little, it’s usually best to choose the school that offers more financial aid. When you don’t have to worry about tuition payments, you’ll have more time to concentrate on your studies.
If you choose a school that doesn’t offer an abundance of financial aid, you may need to work a job unrelated to your major to make ends meet. Working such a job may detract from study time or cause you to get less sleep.
A college that offers many financial aid programs usually has a more diverse student body, which indicates that the institution is devoted to all its students, not just a select group.
Financial Aid Basics
There are several federal grants and other tuition assistance available for low and middle-income students.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is open to students seeking financial aid from the government. This application is free to fill out, and you have to submit it before each academic year. You’ll qualify for a $1,000 College Board Opportunity Scholarship just by filling out the application. You may also qualify for a $40,000 College Board Opportunity Scholarship.
Even if your family earns $200,000 a year, you may get financial aid through FAFSA. This federal program offers work-study programs and loans.
You can also apply for grants, which don’t need to be paid back.
Pell Grants are given to undergraduate students, based on financial need and the school’s cost. The Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) is given to low-income undergraduate students.
The Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant will pay for your education if you plan to teach in a low-income area. Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants help pay for tuition for students who had a parent or guardian who died while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Scholarships don’t need to be paid back. Private organizations and individual schools are rewarded based on several factors that include athletic ability, academic excellence, creative ability, race/ethnicity/gender, or religious affiliation. You usually need to fill out an application and either write an essay or complete a project.
A loan can come from a private institution or federal government. You have to repay the loan with interest after graduation. Students can apply for subsidized and unsubsidized loans from the federal government. Subsidized loans are provided to students who demonstrate financial aid.
These loans offer better rates than unsubsidized loans since the U.S. Department of Education pays the interest while you attend school and for six months after you graduate.
Unsubsidized loans are open to all students, regardless of financial need. You’ll need to pay back all interest.
Private loans are available from banks and other financial institutions. You need a good credit score to receive a private loan. Private loans have a higher interest rate than federal government loans.
A work-study program helps students earn money to pay tuition by working a federally funded job at the school or another location. Work-study students may get jobs at the school’s athletic department, cafeteria, student center, or residence hall.
Overall Cost
When you figure out the cost of attending each school, factor in more than tuition. Additional expenses include books, fees, food, room and board, toiletries, clothing, transportation, entertainment, and furnishings for your dorm or apartment.
Financial aid doesn’t usually cover non-academic expenses, so determine which school will save your money on transportation, food, entertainment, etc.
Some schools have cafeterias and restaurants on campus, or are located close to inexpensive eateries. In contrast, other universities may be located in a secluded area far from clubs, restaurants, supermarkets, and movie theatres.
Certain schools may offer a book scholarship yearly for books. Other schools offer a tuition guarantee, which ensures that your tuition stays the same all four undergraduate years, or for a portion of your schooling.
If you have an interest in studying in other countries, compare each school’s participation in overseas study programs in your major. Study abroad by applying for the George Mitchell Scholarship (Ireland) , the Rhodes Scholarship, or scholarships from Rotary International or other organizations
Visit Colleges Before and After You’ve Been Accepted
You should visit as many colleges as you can before you send out applications. Websites can tell you a lot, but you need to see the campuses for yourself to get an accurate picture of what school will meet your needs.
Traveling may be difficult if you choose to apply to many colleges all across the nation. In that case, do as much online research as you can, and take virtual tours of the campus.
If both colleges have similar financial aid packages, in-person visits are more important than ever. Many colleges have accepted students’ weekends. You may have the option of staying in a dorm room, going to orientation meetings, and attending events with other accepted students.
Non-Academic Life
Choose the college that makes you feel comfortable. You’re going to spend the next four years of your life-maybe more if you earn an advanced degree, so you should select a campus where you’ll feel comfortable.
Are the dorms, classrooms, and labs safe? Do the staff and faculty make you feel welcome? Are there extracurricular events to help you relax when you’re not in class?
Look at the quality of your day-to-day life will be like as well as the school’s academic program. Compare on-campus activities and the athletic programs for your two final candidates when making your decision.
Consider housing options. Do you have the opportunity to live in dorms or private apartments on-campus? If not, are there affordable apartments close by? Can you commute to and from the campus and live with your parents or at your current apartment?
Is the School a Good Fit for Your Personality?
Even if a school has all the academic and financial aid qualifications you seek, it may not be the right fit for your personality. If your likes, dislikes, personality, attitude, and background are different from all or most of your classmates and teachers, you’ll have a hard time fitting in and studying.
Some students like to stay in their home state or geographic region and feel more comfortable going home after a long day in class instead of staying in a dorm.
Other people want to meet new people and attend school with students from around the U.S. and around the world. A visit to the campus and/or a look at the college website should answer the questions about student diversity.
Some students prefer to be a big fish in a little pond and go to a smaller school where they can be noticed more easily by professors and coaches. There’s more competition at large schools, and some students may feel left out or under-represented in academic or sports programs.
If you want to compete on a sports team, it may be easier to attend a Division III NCAA school, rather than a Division I school, unless you have spotless athletic credentials.
You also need to consider the school’s ambiance. A cozy, bucolic campus may inspire you to study free from the distractions of an urban school. Or you may have a go-getter personality that thrives on a bustling city campus.
Most schools are co-ed, but some still admit only single-sex students. Some schools are public; others are private. You may have your heart set on going to a co-ed or private school, but find that a private or single-sex school offers a better academic fit for you.
Choose the school that will serve your education and your career in the long run, even if it’s not the school you’ve envisioned in your past. Most importantly, make sure that you’ll feel comfortable in the school environment. If you feel unsafe or ignored during a short visit to a college, things probably won’t be much better if you decide to go to school there.
For Athlete Students
Ask yourself if you want to play competitive sports or on an intramural team. Do you want to improve your athletic abilities, or just have fun playing sports?
Look at the overall financial and academic aspects of each school, as well as the athletic programs. You’ll still need to take classes, deal with daily life on the campus, and do the best you can academically and athletically. Which school will give you the best overall experience?
Division I schools demand commitment and superior athletic ability, and offer athletic scholarships. Here’s a list of all the Division I schools, which includes Ivy League, Big Ten, Sun Belt, and Mid-American Conference schools.
Division II schools offer competitive sports with less visibility than Division I teams and scholarship opportunities. You won’t see these teams playing in the major Bowl games, but ardent sports fans may be familiar with some of the teams in the Peach Belt or Gulf South Conference.
You’ll need excellent athletic and academic credentials to get into a Division I or Division II school.
There aren’t any athletic scholarships available for Division III teams. Some teams are competitive; others have less stringent rules and don’t cut athletes from their squads. Division III schools place their emphasis on academics, not athletes, even for members of their sports teams. Caltech is an example of a Division 3 school.
For Medical Students
Medical students accepted by two medical schools can use the same criteria as other college students. Cost, financial aid, location, and campus life are considerations. However, as a medical student, you’ll usually pay more than other students for your education. The average cost for a first-year student is $36,755 at a public university and $59, 076 at a private university.
When choosing between two medical school acceptances, check to see how well students from the school score on the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE). The average score of students who take the USMLE for the first time is 230. Ask administrators from both schools how students fare on the exam to ensure that the school provides quality education.
Look at each school’s resident placement rate. You need a medical residency to become a physician, and a good medical school will prepare you and help place you in a residency. If you have a particular specialty, you should be able to obtain a residency in that specialty. Look into the specialty/residency matching rate for students who attended each college.
At least 83 percent of students should graduate from the school. This percentage is the average graduation rate from American medical schools for the last several decades. Any medical school with a graduation rate of less than 83 percent may not be providing the best education or vetting students properly for admission.
The best medical schools require a minimum of credits for biology, physics, chemistry, labs, and math. Research the colleges for the average credits required for first-year students.
The learning environment should consist of hands-on patient care, as well as classroom learning and lectures. Attend a few classes during your visit to the school and talk to students and counselors about the learning environment. Use the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) yearly report to determine the average for U.S. medical schools.
The school should also offer support services, including mental health counseling, as a medical school can be more demanding than many other majors.
Does the School Have Several Majors You Like?
Leave your options open when it comes to changing your major. You may want to be a psychologist when you graduate from high school, but as time goes on, your goals may change.
Which school offers the most extensive range of quality majors?
If you go to a school that has a great program in your initial major and few other options, you may end up sticking with a major you grow to dislike, drop out, or spend time transferring to another school when you could be studying.
All colleges have departments that are considered some of the best in the world, while they may lack kudos in other departments. Choose the school that has the most-respected department for your major.
If you’re studying law, for example, the Texas A & M University School of Law, Harvard Law School, University of Chicago, and University of Minnesota Law Schools are highly ranked. You’ll receive many opportunities in law because you attend these schools or similar universities, provided you do well on your coursework.
Choosing a school that’s not as renowned in your field won’t exclude you from getting prestigious jobs, but it will make the process tougher.
Career Opportunities
Which school will provide you with more post-graduation employment opportunities? Talk to the career counselor at each school. Read about alumni from your chosen major at both schools. Which school has more successful alumni in your field? Talk to current or former students about how the school helps with job placement, resume review, and interview coaching.
Most people go to college and graduate school to obtain better jobs in their field. Choose the school that provides more ways to prepare you for employment. Some universities have research and development labs, technology parks, and other facilities run in tandem with corporations or entities that employ students after graduation.
If you want to pursue a career in research or teaching, check out the research partnerships and teaching programs each school offers.
Internships
Getting a college internship will help you land a better job after graduation. Talk to a counselor from the department you’re interested in and see if they have internships available.
Check the statistics for job placement of students within six months of graduation. The more placements with top companies, the better chance you’ll have of getting a high-paying job when you graduate.
There are five types of internships, although there may be variations based on your major.
A Co-Op internship is a partnership between a college, student, and employer. The student earns college credits for work experience. This type of internship is offered in many fields, from journalism and business to medicine. Colleges partner with many types of employers to provide them with qualified student workers.
An externship lasts one to three weeks and is usually unpaid. The student observes and works with a professional in their major or desired field. The student learns about a typical day on the job without making a commitment to a particular career.
A practicum is a class that teaches students how to work in a particular field. You work under the supervision of a professional and an academic advisor. Students work individually or in teams.
An apprenticeship combines school training and on-the-job experience. Students learn a trade and earn money while doing it. The student’s wages increase as they gain experience.
Service-learning involves a written proposal from a student who then completes the work. Once the work is completed, the student presents written conclusions based on their experiences.
Alumni Associations and Connections
Check both colleges to see if they have strong alumni associations. A college with a good alumni association will help you find work long after you’ve graduated. Most colleges offer special alumni events and reunions, as well as special publications geared towards graduates.
Choose the college that will still actively work for you long after you’ve graduated.
More Tips on Choosing the Right College
If one of your two choices is the school you’ve dreamed of going to since you were a kid, don’t instantly rule out the other choice. Do the pros and cons of each logically, and have friends or family help you evaluate them. You may find that your second choice is the better choice for you at this stage of your life.
When both colleges rank just about even on the pros and cons, go with your gut instinct. Students often get a strong feeling about one school, even if it might not seem perfect on paper. Follow your feelings – they’re probably right.
Don’t listen to pushy parents or friends. If your family is pressuring you to go to a school that isn’t right for you, show them why the school is wrong for you and give them a list of reasons another school is right for you.
If you fall prey to pressure from family or friends, you’ll probably end up transferring schools, dropping out, or getting poor grades because you can’t concentrate on your studies.
Always keep an open mind when researching colleges. Ask a lot of questions, and try to talk to as many students and alumni as possible. School counselors and administrators may not reveal any unflattering details about the school, but students will tell you the good and the bad information about the college.
Final Thoughts
Choosing between two colleges that have accepted you can be difficult if they both offer everything you want. You should do a bit more research on each school, and write down a list of the pros and cons of each one. Compare the list to determine which one has the extra perks you’ll need to make your college experience better.
One college may offer slightly more financial or offer minor courses you like. The college you ultimately choose may be closer to your family, friends, or a city center with part-time jobs, nightlife, and restaurants. Every student wants different “extras” to make their life easier; make sure your college satisfies your academic and non-academic needs before enrolling.