Choosing a college could be extremely stressful and in the end making sure you made a right decision can often feel like a frightening task

Choosing a college could be extremely stressful and in the end making sure you made a right decision can often feel like a frightening task. The right college will be a good fit academically, socially, and financially. When you would choose a right college you would typically do well academically and would enjoy it while on the other hand, choosing the wrong college can lead to poor grades and unhappy college experience.

To help out with this process, here are some common mistakes to avoid along the way.

1. Following prestige- thinking that renowned colleges will provide good quality education is not true, sometimes colleges with lesser- known names can also provide great academic opportunities. The name should not be the only reason to choose the college.

2. Rushing the process- looking for a right college takes effort and time, along with a lot of research and often lengthy application process. Waiting until the last minute and in the end just falling into a college is never a good idea.

3. Being a follower- following a best friend to the college of their choice may look like a great idea because you want to be near them but this is certainly not a good idea. You need to make best decisions for yourself.

4. The legacy lure- pursing the same career as your father, mother, siblings or other family member in order to follow in their footsteps may not be in your interest. It’s good to explore your options and find the right fit for your personality.

5. Having a one-track mind- maybe you’ve wanted to go there since you were little and you’ve already decided there is only one right college for you. Not investigating all your options is a big mistake. You can attend your number one college but you should others too.

6. Assuming the worst- thinking that you won’t get accepted at a certain college is not a good idea. You should apply, you can’t achieve it unless you give it a try, so at least make an attempt.

7. Not knowing about the college- never choose a college just because of its reputation. You should research and see whether the department you wish to study at the college has a good teaching facility or not.

8. Extra curriculum temptation- it should not be the sole reason to choose a college just because of its extra curriculum activities. A college may have a great basketball facility but the department you want to study in might not be the best.

9. Location, location and location- neither the college should be close to your house nor should the college be far away. Location should be a point to be considered but it should not be the only reason to choose a college.

10. Not visiting the college- experience may vary, one person’s dream might be another person’s nightmare. So believing that someone else had a bad experience so would I, it’s a wrong decision. Also, only looking at the college website and advertisement, and not visiting the college gives an unrealistic image of a college.

The college a student attends will be a place they will spend four years of their life. College can be a great experience if they choose it correctly. Therefore, try and avoid these common mistake while choosing the college.