College Acceptances / Discussion Thread

[blarajan]

For this reason is why I make such a big deal out of Student Services/Clubs and Societies.

My 5-step-guide for choosing a college is:

1) Does the college offer the degree program you want to do? If Yes, go to 2.
2) Does the college have a good reputation for the degree program you want to do (expecially w.r.t specific majors you're interested in); and is this important (Some vocations care more than others about where you went)?
3) What are the student services and facilities like (legal advice, careers centre, clubs and societies, events, book exchange, food outlets and bars, libraries)?
4) Is the local environment of the college good for your social scene (nightclubs, bars, movie cinemas, restaurants, sporting grounds, etc. depending on what you like to do with your time)?
5) Is the campus itself a nice place to be (greenspace, nice buildings, etc., places to hang out)?

How does your 5 step decision guide not include HOW MUCH DOES THE COLLEGE COST?

And I'm not making these comments because I couldn't go to a more expensive school if I so desired. I'm fortunate in that my college tuition can be taken care of. However, just because I CAN go to a more expensive school does not mean I should, especially when considering reputable yet more affordable alternatives. I really feel like price should be the number one indicator. Further education is expensive, guys!

 

[MrIndigo]

How does your 5 step decision guide not include HOW MUCH DOES THE COLLEGE COST?

And I'm not making these comments because I couldn't go to a more expensive school if I so desired. I'm fortunate in that my college tuition can be taken care of. However, just because I CAN go to a more expensive school does not mean I should, especially when considering reputable yet more affordable alternatives. I really feel like price should be the number one indicator. Further education is expensive, guys!

My guide is based on my experiences in Australia, where the pricing is taken care of by the government subsidy system (you pay the same per year regardless of location, the government covers the difference).

In the US, price is absolutely a consideration, but it's not something on which I can provide. I suppose to modify the scheme, you'd put "Do they have your degree program" at Step 0, and then Step 1 would be "Can you afford it?". And for the Step 2 onwards, you'd add a weighting factor, so it's more like "Does the reputation of the degree make it worth the price you pay?" for Step 2, "Are the services worth the price you pay?", etc.

 

[MrIndigo]

Fit with the student body is also pretty important; I guess it could possibly fit into (4) and (5) but IMO it's the most important factor to consider once you get past the absolute "dealbreakers" (ex: don't have your degree program).

I consider fitting in with the cohort as part of number 4 and 5; it doesn't matter so much if you don't have close friends in class if you have good connections in your social scene, and part of having a nice campus is having people to hang out with.