College is the next step into our futures which helps us with our long-term financial gain. Picking the right college is more than just the name on the diploma but rather about where you feel most at home. There are many aspects to college and we all should make sure we take everything in. 

 The main thing to keep track of is your endgame. Many people do not know what they want to do and just go to a college based off of their friends and where they would have fun. This is a factor, but we need to keep in mind about what we might want to do in the future because college is only four years of our lives and then we begin real jobs and bills. 

Another big thing to remember is if the college is affordable for you and your family. This should not be the only thing you consider but it should definitely be a factor. Every family is different whether they are helping their child pay for college or if they are on their own. Either way, many students take on some type of debt in college, but we should be aware of how much. There is a point where being in too much debt is not worth the specific college. There are so many options that if one college is unrealistic in your price range, you can find another one. 

The best way to find the perfect college, is to visit it. When touring different colleges you want to make sure it feels right. You should want to consider that college to be “home” for the next four years, so you should not downplay your first impression of the schools. Consider the size, location and social atmosphere when looking into your colleges. Find what you like and dislike so you have an idea for the future. Many students also consider the sports, clubs, and extracurricular activities the campus has that will help them meet new people.

When asking Samantha Lagrotteria, a senior from Shore Regional how she picked her college she said, “I picked my college based on my major and how I felt about the school itself. I want to major in biology to become a pediatrician in the future and the school I chose has a great biology program. As well as this, as soon as I stepped foot onto the campus, I loved it. The atmosphere and the people were amazing which was when I knew where I wanted to go.”