Variables to consider when deciding where to apply for college

Students’ college decisions are among the most significant choices they will make over the course of their lifetimes. Many students lay the foundations for rewarding careers during college, and the friendships formed during university years often last a lifetime.

Students cannot utilize a magic formula to ensure they choose the right college or university. However, on-campus visits and discussions with current and former students can provide invaluable insight into what life is like at a given college or university. In addition, students and their families can consider a host of variables as they try to decide where to apply for college.

• Cost: The high cost of college is well documented, but prices vary significantly. According to the Trends in College Pricing 2023 report from the College Board, the average cost of tuition and fees at a public, four-year, in-state school was $11,260 in the 2022-23 school year. The average cost of tuition and fees and a private, nonprofit, four-year school during that same academic year was $41,540.

That’s a price difference of more than $30,000 annually. Many students borrow money to finance their college educations, and high schoolers must consider the amount of debt they’re willing to take on when making this pivotal life decision.

• Campus life: The atmosphere on and around campus is another variable to consider when deciding where to apply to college. College is the first taste of independence many young people experience.

Though students are often excited by that prospect, it’s important to recognize that the atmosphere on campus will go a long way toward determining how enjoyable life at a given college or university may be.