Some college seniors are accepted at every
college where they applied. If you're one of those with
an embarrassment of riches, congratulations.
Believe it or not, having a pile of acceptance letters
from colleges you like can pose a problem. It's a happy
problem, to be sure, but a difficulty nonetheless.
Perhaps you were accepted to your clear, first-choice
college in August, through an Early Decision application.
Maybe, in your pile of acceptance letters, there is one
that suits you perfectly, making all the others inconsequential.
If either of those situations is yours, there's no problem.
What should you do, though, if you have three or four
acceptances and none is a clear favorite?
This happens more frequently than you might imagine.
The solution to finding the right one lies in doing some
careful review and consultation with your family.
If considerations such as location, student-body size,
program offerings, and reputation are all about equal
(and you detect no true preference stirring in your heart),
then money has to be a major consideration. With your
acceptances come the financial aid packages. Examine them
carefully. Ignore the "sticker price" of the
schools for a moment and go straight to the bottom line.
- Which school's offer puts the smallest drain on your
family's finances?
- Is there a clear winner now?
- If there's no other criterion for deciding, then money
should make up your mind.
Don't forget that you can earn some extra financial aid
sometimes with just a phone call to the college's financial
aid office. After you have satisfied yourself that you
have the best-possible packages, then decide.
Remember, too, that you could make a quick visit between
now and May 1, the traditional enrollment notification
response deadline. Visits can sometimes sway the undecided.
Please keep your parents involved in your decision. They
maintain a large stake in your college education. Even
though most parents respect their child's decision on
college selection, they can provide valuable perspective
for that decision.
Regardless of where you end up going to college, compliment
yourself on a college admissions process well done. |