Choosing the right college for you is one of the biggest decisions you may ever make. The place you choose to spend your college years may have a huge impact on the rest of your life. However, the decision is yours and yours alone.
So, how do you choose the right path for your future? You can start by looking at a college comparison website, but keep in mind these biggest mistakes to avoid when choosing colleges.
1. Not Visiting Campus
So, you’ve seen the website and all the brochures. You’ve heard of the school’s reputation and you like the look of the courses. Surely there’s no need to visit the college to make sure it’s right for you.
However, when you arrive for your initiation period, the atmosphere feels awful. It’s vital to visit any campus you’re interested in to get a feel for the atmosphere, meet some of the students, and find your way around campus.
2. Not Applying for Financial Aid
Many students make the mistake of not applying for financial aid because they believe they won’t be entitled to it. It’s always worth double-checking and applying. Financial aid could relieve you of paying a significant proportion of college costs.
Similarly, some students don’t apply to their dream colleges because they think the price tag is too high. It’s always worth applying to all of the schools you’re interested in.
3. Not Taking Exams Seriously
The results you get in your final year of high school really do matter. Similarly, your extracurricular activities, volunteer and community work, and paid work will all help you in your applications.
Failing to prep for your exams could be one of the biggest mistakes you make if you have your hopes on a certain career. For example, teas prep is vital if you want to become a nurse after college.
4. Embellishing the Truth
It’s true that college admission boards like to see glowing applications. However, don’t be tempted to embellish the truth on your application to make your achievements sound better than they are.
If the admissions team find part of your application to be a lie, it could affect your chances of being admitted to your desired school.
5. Missing a Deadline
Missing deadlines is more common than you may think. It can be difficult to make important decisions in a small time frame. The problem is, when you make a last-minute decision and your application misses the deadline, it may not get viewed.
If colleges want your applications in by February, get ahead of the game and make sure they’re sent off by January. Even if you aren’t sure about a school, it’s worth applying anyway.
Your Guide to Choosing Colleges
Choosing colleges is certainly no easy task but making simple mistakes could cost you the future you’ve always dreamed about. Ask your parents and career counselors to give you any tips that might help you avoid making the most common mistakes.
Take a look at some more of our articles for preparing yourself for the college experience.
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