The student news site of McNeil High School

The Trailblazer

The student news site of McNeil High School

The Trailblazer

The student news site of McNeil High School

The Trailblazer

Choosing Which College to Attend Makes for Tough Decision-Making

Consider for a moment that your life is at the edge of your high school career, about to take a leap of faith that the college of your choice is the right one. But how exactly do you make that decision? What makes a school worthwhile? Should you listen to the stereotypes of certain colleges?

First off, college is a personal decision. Yes, listening to your friends’ and family’s opinions can be helpful, but do not let anyone overshadow the fact that your opinion is the final word. Because, after all, it is where you will spend the next four or more years of your life, affecting the years to come beyond college. You can talk to family and friends all day long about a college, but unless you examine the success of past graduates of the school, you may not know the facts about the school.

What exactly makes a university a good one? Is a degree from Harvard any more meaningful than one from Texas Tech? These are important things to ponder. Some people might say, “You’re too smart for that school,” or “Why would you go there  (to a less prestigious school) when you could go here (to a low acceptance percentage school)?”

While perception of a school is also important to think about, schools are always different when you experience them first hand, as it is a personal decision. Consider Stephen F. Austin, for example. With its high acceptance rate, it can be said to be a not as intellectual of a school. In reality, SFA’s education department is more well known and credited than the agricultural department at Texas State. So before you turn down a school because of a perception, consider the specific department and its worth.

Story continues below advertisement

A factor that may not be as highly stressed, but should, be is location. This may not be as important for certain degrees. For an education major, though, if someone is looking for a job in Dallas and has a degree from UT, they may not be as likely to get a teaching job as a person with an Education degree from SFA. Why is this? Because each school has its own connections to surrounding areas, and must be taken into account.

Now, perhaps the hardest part of this turning point in one’s life is leaving your loved ones behind. What if your best friend  or boyfriend/girlfriend chooses to attend University of Northern Colorado and you are left to choose between keeping the friendship intact, or getting the degree you want? It is not selfish to choose a different school. The decision of choosing a school affects the rest of your life; don’t let one person lead you to a decision that costs you success. Look for options and consider them equally.

Some of these factors are more important than others, and the most important one depends on the person. When it comes down to it, though, it may be true to say that wherever you go, you will find your niche, Like high school, it will take time to adapt to something new, but once you have found your hobbies and niche, the road to success became easier.

On a last note, do yourself and/or your parents a favor and try to minimize the debt or check to pay off for college. Apply for scholarships. For some, taking the ACT may be worth thousands of dollars in scholarships. Check the McNeil College and Career page for updated scholarship opportunities. It is also important in this time not to stress, and to try your best to avoid the hovering ‘senioritis.’  When reviewing costs between schools, consider not only the public perception of the school, but as stated above, the quality of the degree. Would paying $75,000 for an English degree be any better than a $20,000 degree of the same major, with the same credentials?

Leave a Comment
Donate to The Trailblazer
$95
$1000
Contributed
Our Goal

Your donation will support the student journalists of McNeil High School. Your contribution will allow us to purchase equipment and cover our annual website hosting costs.

More to Discover
Donate to The Trailblazer
$95
$1000
Contributed
Our Goal

Comments (0)

We ask that all comments be school appropriate, and all comments we receive will have to be approved by a site administrator. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
All The Trailblazer Picks Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *