Choosing a college is one of the toughest and most important decisions that any student can make. When making a decision, there are many factors that need to be taken into consideration, including the cost, location, and campus environment. College is not just about an education, it’s an experience that plays a role as you transition into adulthood. Setting yourself up for success – in college and afterwards – is why your choice of college is so important.

First off, when looking at a 4-year college you must consider the cost. College can cost anywhere from $100,000 to over $200,000 if you include costs such as tuition, books and supplies, health insurance, and room and board. For example, the annual cost of attending a private university such as Harvard is over $60,000 a year, while the cost to attend the University of California will be around $35,000 a year. There are less expensive options, such as a state university, but even these will typically cost around $20,000-$25,000 per year.

College is expensive, which is why it should be viewed as an investment in your future.

When you look at college options, you need to consider whether your parents can – or will choose to – pay for college. You should also evaluate the different options that may be available for financial aid. Depending on your situation, it may be worth considering community colleges since they cost much less and can set you up for a transfer to a 4-year university. It’s also worth mentioning that attending community college can give students some time to decide on their major and career goals before transferring to a 4-year school.

Another important consideration is the geographic location of the college you choose. While a lot of students focus on the college itself, it’s important to think about how the location may impact you. A dismal truth is that some students are not fully prepared for the transition from high school to college and being on their own for the first time. Being far away from home and family may become overwhelming, and some students who start college at a faraway place end up returning home because of separation anxiety.

The ability to visit home and have additional support from family can be helpful during the shift from a teenager to an adult.

It’s also worth considering that there will always be holidays, winter break, and spring break as part of the academic calendar. It’s much easier to visit family and friends during these occasions if you’re in relatively close proximity. Think about how traveling may impact your ability to visit home when you wish. Some colleges may be a car ride away, others – especially if you go to college out of state – will most likely require you to fly. If you’re not close, it may be difficult to visit on shorter holidays, such as Thanksgiving, or other occasions where you do not have ample time off to make such a long trip.

When applying to college, you should consider the college environment. Research a college’s reputation. Some colleges have more of a reputation for partying or a strong Greek system, as leaders in a particular academic field that you may want to pursue, or a nationally ranked sports program. Take a look at what a college offers in terms of clubs and groups (music, arts, sports, etc.).

Try to look at colleges that will offer you an opportunity to pursue and excel in the areas that interest you as well as provide opportunities to learn and experience new things.

You’ll want to set yourself up for success, and it’s important to consider that when you apply to colleges. Apart from the social and extracurricular activities that are offered, check out the coursework, class sizes, graduation rates, and career resources. These are all important considerations that can impact your ability to succeed in college and afterwards.

College can be exciting, fun and stressful, but it should never be distressful. Sometimes students have trouble making friends. At other times, they might have a challenging professor or be worried about poor grades during a particular academic term. The road to graduation is a long and bumpy one with ups and downs that mirror life itself. Positive behavior, as well as an optimistic approach toward college, can help students succeed both in and out of the classroom. Being at the right campus with the right resources and outlets can influence your ability to ultimately succeed.

When you consider applying to colleges, try and visit as many campuses as you can. This will give you an idea of the travel requirements as well as a first-hand look at the overall campus environment. The better the feel you can get about prospective colleges, the more information you will have to help you make a decision on what colleges to apply to, and, ultimately, choosing a college to attend.

The most basic truth that students need to understand about college is that the success of a person is not solely determined by the school that he or she attends.

Instead, it is the performance and personal growth at any given school that matters more. Performance is important because graduate schools and employers look at grades and your degree more so than simply what school you attend. Many people don’t attend the most prestigious colleges and achieve great success after graduating from college. A very famous example of such an occurrence is Barack Obama, who graduated from Occidental, then leveraged his undergraduate degree to get into Harvard Law School and eventually became a U.S. President. Ultimately, putting yourself in an environment to thrive and succeed is a critically important factor.

Choosing a college is one of the most important and difficult choices that you can make for your future. Picking a college to attend is the first step, but you’ll also need to maintain focus because there are many cases where students begin school, but never finish. The main goal of college really is to graduate because a degree in any subject opens many doors that would not exist with only a high school diploma. In the end, where you go does not determine your future. Instead, choosing the right college fit can put you in the best position to succeed academically, grow as an individual, and get involved with the surrounding campus and community. Students should treasure their time in college because the overall college experience really is what they make of it.