By: Kathryn Vance
Price: Tuition to any college these days is going to be expensive, no matter what. According to US News, the average cost of tuition at a public institution is $20,000 or close to $35,000 at a private institution for just a single year. But to take away some of the sticker shock, it’s best to do some research before settling on one college. Someone with a strict budget should make sure to only look at schools within that price range, making sure not to fall in love with a school that is unaffordable. A great resource for all students to use to figure out finances is provided by the College Board website at www. netpricecalculator.collegeboard.org. This can help students figure out how to make schools that they think may be out of their price range much more affordable.
Location: Some students prefer a rural college town. Others prefer a more urban or city setting. Whatever one’s preference, there is a college for everyone. Working with the school guidance counselor or an online college finder can always be a big help. Another major factor to consider is whether or not to stay in-state. While it is often cheaper to stay in one’s home state, students sometimes feel the need to branch out and travel further across the country.
Size: While some students might enjoy a giant school with a population of over 32,000 like Indiana University others might enjoy something smaller like the 1,000 students at Hanover. The benefits of a smaller school are smaller class sizes, as well as individualized majors. There are also many more hands-on learning opportunities at a smaller institution than at a larger one. However, there are also many benefits of going to a large college as well. There will be a wide variety of courses and housing options as well as fully-funded sports programs.
“In terms of classes and campus, most colleges and universities take the college-within-a-college/university-within-a-university approach to education anyway,” senior government teacher Ms. Ashley Manger said.
What she means by this is that students are often lumped together with other students of their same major, making the campus much easier to tackle.
