With a couple of million students who are just entering college each year, the statistics unfortunately suggest that many of them chose their college for the wrong reasons.  Whether it be because a school has a nice campus, has a big fraternity scene, or was the “best” school they could get into, it doesn’t matter because each of these choices alone may not be the most ideal for every student.  As such, consider the following “right” reasons for choosing a college, which may be different than what you think:

    1)    The college is affordable – many people do not choose their college based upon the finances.  In fact, a lot of students and their parents blindly fill out financial aid documents without knowing the true impacts of their decisions in this regard.  That is why at Choose It Right, we encourage students to consider their Post-College 1:1 Ratio.  This means that you should look at your intended career and how much you should borrow in light of what your first year earnings will be when you graduate from college.
 
    2)    Students can make a decent living upon graduation from the college – you can certainly research colleges and find out how much the average starting salary is for their students (within your intended major and generally).  This is definitely important to find out, as you should probably choose a college with a high overall graduation percentage as well as with most students being able to earn respectable future wages.

    3)    If you want to be an entrepreneur – if you are looking to be an entrepreneur, you are likely wasting your money sitting in classrooms for 4 years and not getting any real world experience.  As such, consider a college that offers students the ability to team up with other entrepreneurs and work for a semester in that field.  Also, make sure your intended college offers a program that caters to “thinkers” like the history of science or courses in design to stimulate your mind and help you to become more intellectually savvy.

    4)    If you want to pursue international career opportunities – look for a college that offers students a global perspective, whether through a travel abroad program, a high percentage of foreign students, and/or programs that enable you to work overseas.

    5)    It has a strong alumni base – if you are considering a certain college, it is important to check out whether it has a strong alumni base, which may matter more depending upon your intended future career.  Meaning, if you want to be an actor, it may be good to attend a college with supportive alumni that are willing to help students and graduates in launching their careers.  A strong alumni base is also great for students who are looking for careers in certain industries, overseas, or in politics where normally it is hard for the average person to break the ice on their own and land a job.  Meeting people who are like-minded and who are willing to listen to you are very important ways to network and ultimately, get started on your career path.