For those of you who are applying and hearing back from colleges, you are probably wondering how to make the decision about where to spend your next four years. It seems like this decision is the first of many life choices to determine your entire future, but in reality, it is not do or die. When I chose to go to Sacred Heart, I was looking at several different factors in comparison to the other schools I toured or applied to.
One.) Campus Buildings and Accommodations
Two.) Major and Academics
Three.) Student Atmosphere and Involvement Opportunities
Four.) Distance from Home
Five.) Housing and Dining
Campus Buildings and Accommodations
When looking at colleges I felt drawn to a more modern learning environment. A lot of schools I visited had large brick buildings that required a lot of walking to get from one to another. I liked the smaller campus feel because I felt it was easier to get to class, especially walking. I also enjoyed the more modern environment of the media building where I knew I would be spending the majority of my time. This is something to consider because, although It may sound silly, the environment you learn in has a large impact on your college experience. I find that sitting on campus outside or in the lounges between classes is where I like to do my work.
If everywhere I looked was another brick building I don't know if I would be enjoying it as much as the sleek buildings and beautiful archways I see as a student at Sacred Heart. However, This may not be the case for you. Maybe you think of school and imagine
classic buildings with an academic feel. In that case, you should look at schools that embody that environment. Another thing to look for is the accommodations the school has to offer. Is there a learning center? How is the success center or the mental health counseling on campus? What dinning options do they offer for those with severe allergies? These are important questions to ask or to get answers to when touring a school.
Tip: Keep a journal of all the schools you visit and write not only all the things they have to offer, but also write about how the campus made you feel!
Major and Academics
Another aspect I looked at when choosing what college to attend was what programs the school offered for my major of interest. I remember visiting a campus that was popular for students at my high school to attend and falling in love only to find out they did not have a communications program. Looking into not only what programs fall under your major but what other programs may interest you could be beneficial especially if your major is undecided. I was invested in studying communications and valued content creation. Seeing that sacred heart not only had a School of Communications, Media, and The Arts but also an entire building dedicated to it, I knew it was the school from me. Seeing the editing rooms, the TV studio, the podcast suite, and an equipment rental center I knew I would have the resources to get experience in the fields I wanted to explore.
If you don't know what major you want to study that is ok too! You can look at how easy it is to switch between majors or if you can double in two different schools at the same university. That may have sounded confusing but to explain a bit more, universities are often organized by college and then school. For example, I am a student with an Immersive Media Major, in the School of Communications Media and The Arts, in the College of Arts and Sciences, at Sacred Heart University. Selecting a university that allows you to study in multiple schools or multiple colleges may be helpful for those who don't know what they plan to study. Not everyone goes into college knowing what they want to be and that is okay! That is why it can be beneficial to look at all your options when applying or touring. For those who do know what they want to major in, It is important to look at those programs and compare them to other universities. Check out what the alumni of the school have gone on to do and if you could see yourself on a similar path.
Tip: If you know what you are looking to study, Look for major-specific tour options!
Student Atmosphere and Involvement Opportunities
Now, this may not be top of your list but it is something that may have a large impact on your college experience. When I toured schools my mom would point out things I would have never noticed, for example, what the students were wearing to class. I am not the type of person who likes to dress up every day for class. After she pointed this out, I began to realize schools that all the students were dressed super put together didn't suit me. The student atmosphere is important because for most people not only are you going to class but you are also living there. As someone who was living on campus, I was also looking for a school that had a lot of things to do after class or on the weekends. Some schools have a large commuter population, others have students who travel home for the weekends, this is important to know when looking into your school options. If you are a commuter, ask what opportunities they have for you to get involved on campus even though you don't live there! Are you interested in Greek life? I know that was a huge factor in my decision-making when applying to college! These are the types of things to look for when seeing what opportunities your campus may have. Some schools are very centered around involvement and some are not. Do you have to be involved in athletics or Greek life to party? I know for males especially this is a good question to ask. At Sacred Heart the fraternities and sports teams host all the house parties and rent out a lot of the bars, This means boys who are not involved in either have a harder time finding things to do on weekends. Whereas other schools without Greek life may have a different dynamic where all students are able to go to parties. This is something to look into if going out on weekends is important to your college experience.
Tip: Ask your tour guide if it's a "suitcase school".
Distance from Home
Now this aspect may be different from person to person but let me explain what I was looking for. I wanted to be within driving distance from my home on Long Island but not close enough to where anyone could show up at any time. I wanted to be away from home but not a plane ride away. Some people may be looking to stay home to save money and commute, others may be looking for a faraway place to escape from their hometown either way it is important to consider distance. A large factor of how far you choose to go is funding and transportation. If you decide to go to a school that requires a flight you have to consider how much you will be able to afford traveling home. Are you going to miss Thanksgiving and Easter (or another important religious holiday)? This was non-negotiable for me. I had to be able to travel home on a long weekend to see my nephews. With them being so young I didn't want to miss out on important milestones because I was miles away. Another thing to consider is if you can handle being close to family. I didn't want to have family super close to where I would be obligated to go home all the time either. It's super hard to make it to every family member's birthday or to every family party when you are at college. I am at a distance where if I have enough time I can take a trip home but I am not expected to attend while I am away. If you are in a serious relationship when you go away to school that may also factor into your decision. Do you plan to continue your relationship while away? How will you handle the long distance? What are the distances between your two universities or are you attending the same school? I would advise not picking your school based on your relationship but consider that this may plan into your traveling to and from your campus. One thing I liked about Sacred Heart was that there was a shuttle to the train station. I took the train home or to visit friends multiple times during my freshman year. Sacred Heart also allows students to have a car on campus starting sophomore year. This is important to look into if you have a car or plan to travel a lot. Don't forget to consider the campus parking situation if you do plan to commute, this is not Sacred Heart's strong suit.
Tip: Look into methods of transportation to and from campus.
Housing and Dining
Housing on campus is only really relevant to those who plan to live on campus, so if you are a commuter you can go ahead and skip to the dining portion of this paragraph. Housing and roommates are more important than you may think when selecting a college. Does your school have a way to find roommates or are you forced to "go random" your freshman year? Are there co-ed dorms? Are all dorms equipped with kitchens? Do they have communal bathrooms? These are all super important questions to ask when touring a campus. At Sacred Heart the dorms are nicer for honors students and sophomores/upperclassmen, however, the more classic style freshman dorms allow for better socialization. Where you live has a huge impact of the social scene at school. How close are you to the dining hall? Are you with students your age or are the dorms mixed between grades? I was looking for a classic freshman experience. I valued a good roommate over the space of my dorm. I met my roommate on the SHU Facebook group for the class of twenty-three, and when she became triple designated and I was double I opted for a triple to room with her. I ended up really enjoying my freshman dorm situation and was happy with my choice. However, sophomore year I lived with eleven (yes you read that right... ELEVEN) other girls and it was not the best situation for me. As a sophomore, we were given lottery numbers that allowed us to pick our dorms, and yes, we did voluntarily pick a twelve-person dorm. I also highly considered the dinning on campus when making my choice to go to SHU. As someone who cannot eat the same thing every day, I wanted to ensure there were lots of options on campus. I am not a picky eater so as long as there were multiple places and stations to eat I knew I would be happy. However, If you are a picky eater you should definitely look deeper into if the dining is right for you. I also loved that Sacred Heart had its very own diner on campus!
Some of my friends don't love the campus food but it's important to remember you are on a college campus not at a gourmet restaurant. If you are an athlete or don't love to cook you should also look into the different types of dining plans offered. Now that I am an upperclassman, I live off campus and cook most of the time. This means I do not need as large a dinning plan as when I was a freshman. Sacred Heart has different dinning plans depending on grade level and housing. Some schools use a declining dollars system while others use a swipe system. This could be important to look at as well. Sacred Heart has both depending on the dining hall and time of day. I enjoyed the swipe system for when I wanted to sit down and do some work in the dining hall. I could swipe once and eat as much as I wanted while I sat there. The declining dollars are definitely good for grab and go when you need to eat on your way to class or are just stopping for a quick meal.
Tip: See how your school assigns roommates and picks dorms.
Selecting a college can feel like a lot but just taking notes with each school you visit and asking your counselors questions can really help differentiate your options. Create a Venn-diagram. Keep a journal. Ask current students. Get the answers you need to make an informed decision, and don't feel like this decision is make or break. You can always transfer if you don't like the school you chose. This is super common and there is no shame in switching schools if the one you are at is not right for you.
I hope this gave you some insight into how to pick the right college for you. If you have any questions or want to learn more feel free to send me a message on the blog or DM me on the Irrellavent instagram!
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