I’ve been accepted to more than one college – how can I make a decision?

Information to help you make a decision on which college to attend after being accepted to more than one college.

There are students in their senior year of high school who are planning to continue their education at a college or university. Often times, students apply to different types of colleges, such as public or private universities, liberal arts colleges or faith-based colleges. It can be a joyous occasion to be accepted, but what if a student applies to many colleges and is undecided on which college to attend? What should a student do when it comes to making a decision to accept a college offer?

Big Future by The College Board gives information for students deciding on accepting a college offer, such as how to get more information by asking questions, making a college visit or revisit, thinking things over and comparing colleges and the financial aid awards. When it comes to asking questions to help decide on a college, Fastweb gives a list of 10 questions you can ask that are frequently overlooked in the decision making process. Also, as a student, think about what is important to you. Think about what led you to apply to the college and weigh your options. For example, is the college atmosphere important to you? Do you want to attend a college that ranks high in your prospective major? Are overall college rankings important to you? Or, do you want to stay close to home or go to a school far away from home?

As you’re making a decision, be sure you are aware of the deadlines to accept a college offer for admissions. When acceptance letters are mailed to students, the instructions are given for students to confirm their acceptance of their admissions decision.

If the decision process becomes too overwhelming, consider attending your local community or junior college for a certain time period, such as one semester to two years. You can take your general courses and continue to research which college is best for you. As you consider this, contact the colleges you were accepted to and find out about the next steps for the application process.

Deciding on which college to attend can be stressful. Take the necessary steps to decide on the best college and give yourself time to make the best decision for your future. For other career related resources, visit the Michigan State University Extension 4-H Youth Development website.

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