Some of the worst reasons for choosing a college

Well, my husband and I have made it back home from Charleston, SC. While it was hard to come home, it's always nice to be back in the comforts of our own home. Last night we had the pleasure of having my sister-in-law and her children over. We ate way too much pizza and ended up in Downtown Disney where the girls conned us (not really!) into buying them some princess hats! Luke and I just couldn't resist!

Anyway, while I was in Charleston, I came across this book that I purchased, College in a Can. I have to admit, this book has some interesting "lists" in it, some good, some not so good. One of the lists I would like to present to you (part of the list anyway) today is: The 10 Worst Reasons for Choosing a College. This specific list is of interest to me being that my seniors are getting ready to graduate and head out into the college world. Also, while I was in Charleston, one of my seniors called me and shared with me her recent college visits. So, here are some of the worst reasons for choosing a specific college:

1) It's the cheapest-Don't assume that you can't afford an expensive college, even if your family doesn't qualify for government aid. Most private colleges offer scholarships of their own, including many that are merit-based.

2) It's the most expensive-On the other hand, don't assume that the higher the tuition, the better the school. Public colleges are often able to provide a high quality education at a reasonable price, thanks to government support.

3) They've offered me the most scholarship money-If college "A" is offering $5,000 in grants and college "B" is only offering $1,000, college "A" must be the better deal, right? Not necessarily. Subtract the amount of grants from the total cost of education at each school in order to get the real cost of attending. And remember, most scholarships have conditions attached.

4) I know, I'll get in-While it's important to apply to a "safety school", one for which you are well qualified, don't cross your dream college off the list without first doing your homework. Although most schools are vague when it comes to revealing admissions criteria, you can get a sense of your chances of acceptance by reviewing the profile of the previous year's freshman class. Ask about the mean SAT scores, the range of high school averages, the number of students with class ranking similar to yours, and the percentage of all applicants that were accepted.

5) The campus is pretty-Although aesthetics are important, you need to look beyond the beautiful to the practical.

6) It's where my boyfriend or girlfriend is going-If the relationship ends, you may find yourself trying to figure out how you ended up at a college that doesn't suit you in any way.

So, there's some food for thought! Enjoy your Friday evening!