Outside Factors to Consider When Choosing a College
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Quite often, when you’re looking through piles of college brochures, its easy to loose site of the big picture. Of course, you want a college that challenges you, fits your interests, has a vibrant student community, and all sorts of other benefits a good school can offer you. However, don’t overlook the location and type of community of your prospective school. Even if everything else about the school is great, not considering the following factors can lead to an unpleasant college experience.
1. The Climate
This can be huge. Most people have very strong preferences as to which climates they enjoy being in, and if your school is outside your normal comfort zone, you might have cause to be wary about attending. If you don’t like the cold, attending a school in New England with long, freezing winters is probably a terrible choice, no matter how great the school is otherwise. Alternatively, if you love the snow, attending school in Houston is probably going to leave you yearning for a colder location. Don’t overlook climate, ever.
2. The Town
Your college or university doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The town or city your college is located in will have a great impact on how much you enjoy your four or more years of studies. If you’re in a big city, be prepared to deal with heavy traffic, noise, and higher crime. If you’re in a small town, be prepared to have very few late night entertainment options. Some college towns are vibrant and fascinating, while others are extremely dull. Also, consider how well the school fits in with the surrounding community. If your school is a integral part of the community rather than at odds with it, your experience should be a lot better.
3. The Regional Culture
Ok, so this is stereotyping to a certain extent. However, very few will deny that there is a huge difference between the cultures of warm weather, party oriented schools in the southwest, and the high achieving, competitive New England schools. Obviously, every region in the country has its own flavor, and you need to be prepared to deal with the culture, even if you don’t fit in 100%. Talk to people from the area, and get an idea of what the region is like. If you’re a “blue” person in a “red” state (or vice versa), you may find your stay a little tedious, as fewer people will share your mindset. However, if you’re really trying to push your boundaries, this difference in opinion might be just what you’re looking for. At any rate, never discount the the regional culture.
Overall, this is all fairly common sense, but it can be easy to overlook when you’re trying to sort through a large number of schools. Just keep these factors in mind, and you should be able to find a college that’s a perfect fit your unique preferences.
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