Key takeaways
- When it comes to making your final college decision by day, it’s important to weigh factors like cost, academic fit, and how a student feels the campus fits them from a cultural perspective.
- It can help to visit (or revisit) campuses you’ve been accepted to get a better feel for each campus.
- Talk to other students, alumni, and your parents to get different perspectives.
- Ultimately, your final college decision should balance what feels right with what fits your academic goals and financial plan.
The acceptance letters have arrived, and if you’ve been accepted to multiple colleges, then you now have a tough decision to make: How do you make your final college decision?
Making this decision is part financial, part academic, and part personal – and it works best when each factor is considered thoughtfully. There are so many factors that go into making the final college choice that it’s best to take it slowly and break down the decision into a series of careful considerations.
Here’s a breakdown of how to make your final college decision before Decision Day.
What is National College Decision Day?
National College Decision Day falls on May 1 each year. This is the standard deadline for admitted students to submit their enrollment deposit and confirm their spot. Some colleges may have different dates, so always check directly with each school’s admissions office or student portal. Missing this deadline could mean losing your seat and sometimes your financial aid offer.
Steps to help make your final decision
Since these factors will matter differently to each person, rank them in order of what matters most in your decision.
1. Compare financial aid packages and consider cost
Cost is an important part of any college decision, and understanding the full financial picture can help you plan with confidence. Once you have received a letter of acceptance, you will also receive a financial aid award letter, which will detail any grants, scholarships, work-study and other aid that you may receive. Compare your offer letters and look carefully at:
- The full cost of attendance, including tuition, housing, and personal expenses
- How much of your aid package is gift aid (grants and scholarships you don’t repay) versus self-help aid (loans and work-study)
- Whether student loans will be necessary and how much debt you’d carry over four years
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is one of the most important steps in the college decision process. Filing early may open the door to more financial aid, since some grants and state-based aid are awarded when filled out earlier. If you haven’t filed yet, do it as soon as possible. Submitting your FAFSA early can help ensure you’re considered for as many aid options as possible.
Your FAFSA results directly affect the financial aid packages schools send you. Without it, you may not have the full financial picture you need to make a confident final decision.
2. Make a list of pros and cons for each school
You may have this information swirling around in your head already – likely from when you first searched the colleges – but take the time to write it down with pros on one side of the page and cons on the other. Consider this questions:
- Campus culture: is the school the right size, feel, and location?
- Are there clubs, organizations, and activities that match your interests?
- Does the campus feel welcoming and inclusive?
- Which school has the better programs for your major?
- Which college is giving you the best deal?
- Campus resources: does one cafeteria or library or rec center stand out?
- Does one college have better outcomes and career support?
- What schools seem to have good alumni networks?
You may find that one or more of your colleges really has a con that is a deal-breaker, which will make it easier for you to take that school off of your final list.
3. Visit (or re-visit) the campuses you want to attend
Most colleges will give accepted students the opportunity to visit, sit in on classes, and more. Take the time to ask tough questions and do whatever else you can to feel out the good and the bad.
If you didn’t visit the campuses before you applied to these schools, you definitely want to plan a trip! You’ll want to look at the dorms, campus grounds, library, classrooms, cafeterias, and more to get a full picture. Even if you go on a tour, take some time to explore on your own, just don’t enter any out-of-bounds areas or in-progress classes that you didn’t have permission to enter.
Also, don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with other students to get other perspectives on the school.
This is a great opportunity to check out the surrounding city, town, or village, too. It would be a part of your larger home. Do you like it?
4. Stay overnight on campus
Again, most colleges will allow accepted students to stay overnight with a host. This is the best way to get a true feel for the campus dynamic. You’ll get a sense of what life will be like here and be able to envision how your routine might look on an average day.
Staying on campus can also give you a sense of distance and convenience of campus locations–try to imagine how you would go throughout your day if you woke up each morning in the dorm. Do you have easy access to the things and places you need most?
5. Ask others for their opinion, and make the decision that fits your goals
You likely have adults in your life that you trust, whether that’s your parents, your high school guidance counselor, alumni or someone else. Ask them to review your options with you. They could provide some helpful insight into your future.
But remember: this decision is yours. You should go to college because you want to. If your gut is telling you that one college “feels” more right than another, then it’s probably worth taking the time to think about why that is. Maybe it’s the scenery on campus, the vibe of the culture, or the people you have met on campus.
6. Make your final decision and notify your college
Once you’ve made all these comparisons and talked to your family, it’s time to notify the college of your final decision to accept and attend.
What’s next: what to do after you decide?
Once you’ve made your final college decision:
- Submit your enrollment deposit before the key deadline.
- Reach out to the other schools that accepted you to let them know you won’t be attending. This frees up spots for students on waitlists and is simply the right thing to do.
- Look out for housing applications, placement tests, and orientation registration in your student portal.
- To make the most of your college experience, start researching extracurriculars, like clubs and events, to connect with people.
Making your final college decision is a big deal. Consider what matters most to you, take the steps to gather the information you need, and give yourself the time to decide with confidence. The right fit is out there.
Still weighing your options? College Raptor has the tools to help. Find the right college or search for scholarships that can make your goal school more affordable. Start exploring today.
