I didn’t realize when I entered my senior year, everyone would be talking about college. The concept of college always seemed so far away to me; the pandemic and online school made my senior year come around faster than I ever anticipated. The beginning of senior year is primarily focused on the future, graduation, and college. Although it has been my favorite school year, constantly thinking about the future is overwhelming. As I started my senior year, I did not know much about where I wanted to go to college. I discovered the importance of applying to many schools, in a variety of locations. And while it seems like a daunting task, there are three primary factors to keep in mind when applying to college.

It’s no secret that college is expensive. We have to pay for tuition, books, room, board, among other fees. Would it be worth putting yourself in debt just to go to your dream school? This is something that I’ve struggled with. My top choice schools were out of state, with tuition almost three times that of the Virginia schools. I had to decide whether it would be worth going or not. I also received a scholarship from a school that would pay for most of my tuition, but even with the scholarship money, it wasn’t the right choice for me. The final option would be to go to Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC), as it is the best option for saving money, and it also has an excellent reputation, but that also means living at home and passing on the opportunity to experience a new town or city. 

Another crucial factor is location. I never realized how much schools vary. There are big schools, small schools, city schools, or some that are centered around the school and considered college towns. I wanted to go to a school that wasn’t too big but wasn’t less than five or six thousand undergraduate students. I have been searching for a happy medium, a school that can feel homey but not too small or big enough to experience student life. The idea of Virginia Tech was appealing, but when I visited the campus, it was large and divided into many different parts. The divide and disconnect did not fit what I was looking for. The undergraduate population of over 30,000 would be too much. I also don’t want to go to college in a place where there is no city life. I don’t want to drive 30 minutes to reach a grocery store. The best fit for me is a college town, not in the middle of nowhere, but not in a chaotic city. 

The final consideration in my decision is the one that probably affected me the most. I have worked very hard in high school, challenging myself and maintaining a solid GPA. I used to have the mindset that I had to go to the most challenging college I got into, as it was supposedly the best for my education. It took me a long time to realize that a good education is available at almost any college. At the end of the day, everyone receives the same diploma and will be offered the same opportunity. 

As a senior, college is all my peers talk about. Many want to protect their reputation and brag about the colleges they got into, rather than admit that they may not go to the college that supposedly provides the best education. But I am not a follower—the idea of following what is popular among peers or attending college at the same place my parents did, does not sit well with me.  

There is much to consider since it’s an important decision that will impact my future. It is not a decision that can realistically be made in one day; it is a process that is different for every individual. I know that I have more time to decide, and I have faith that it will all work out. I have learned over the past few months that although it is a stressor, it’s something to be excited about. I am ready to move on to the next chapter of my life. I must admit that I am still not sure where I want to go, but I have narrowed it down to a few options, and I plan to figure it all out soon.