What college to go to is a big decision. Choosing the right school means finding one that's a good financial investment, has programs for your career, and matches how you like to learn.
Whether you're looking for colleges for the first time or going back to school, this guide will help you find institutions that best meet your needs, goals, and personality.
What makes one college a perfect fit for you might be entirely different for someone else. That's why we recommend evaluating how each of these factors fits into your personal priorities and the college experience you want to have.
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What Factors Should You Consider When Choosing a College?
Academic Programs
The first step to creating your list of colleges is selecting schools that offer an academic major that aligns with your career goals. Then, the second step is to make sure that the program is accredited. “Accredited” means that the program has been officially recognized by a governing body like the state government or a professional organization.
What to look for:
- Accreditation status: Is the school officially recognized and accredited? Look on the school’s website for pages listing accreditations or sections on academic program pages.
- Program strength and resources: What are the pros of each school’s major?
Tip: If your future career needs a specific license (like nursing or engineering), verify that the relevant state or national licensing board accepts the school’s accreditation. If you can’t tell by looking at the school’s website, an Admissions Counselor can help you find out.
Financial Fit
The right school offers the program you need at a price you can afford. Attending school in your state can often mean lower tuition costs and government funding. For example, Pennsylvania residents get state financial aid that can make in-state college tuition significantly less than enrolling in an out-of-state school.
What to look for:
- Net Price Calculator (NPC): Most college websites have NPC calculator tools to help you find your Net Price, the true price you pay after grants and scholarships. This is often much lower than the “sticker price.”
- State or school-specific financial aid: Check eligibility for state grants or school financial aid. In Pennsylvania, grants come from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. Read our blog on types of financial aid and student aid in Pennsylvania.
Tip: You need to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and list each college you intend to apply to on the form to get each school’s unique financial aid offer with your confirmed actual out-of-pocket cost. It will be much easier to compare costs after you receive each school’s financial aid offer.
Career Support
Career support is how the college you choose helps you turn your degree into your first job and a successful career trajectory. Colleges with truly helpful and convenient career support can significantly increase the Return on Investment (ROI) of your degree.
What to look for:
- Placement rates and salary data: Research average starting salaries for potential majors and look for a school’s specific graduate placement rates. Sources such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook and Salary.com can help you determine which careers you want to pursue and average salaries.
- Career services offices: These centers offer help with résumé building, job interview techniques, and can even connect you directly with internship and job opportunities.
- Hands-on experience: Built-in internships and real-world projects help you gain real-world résumé boosts from your chosen major or program.
Tip: Search for online job postings in each college’s surrounding area to see what is available and what, if any, degree requirements are set by employers.
Location and Environment
Where a school is can change your daily life and future job chances. Think about the school's location, where you'll live, how you'll get around, and jobs in the area. For example, York College of Pennsylvania offers quiet on-campus living. It's also close to big cities like Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., which are major metropolitan hubs for careers in many fields of study.
What to look for:
- Commute time: You may have the choice of living off campus and commuting, or you may walk to class from a dorm.
- Cost of living: Find out how much it costs to live in the area, including not just housing, but things like coffee, bus tickets, and lunch.
- Regional connections: Look for schools that work with local businesses and groups. This can help you find internships, volunteer work, and potential job opportunities.
Tip: If you are considering a college in a new city, online forums such as Reddit and local neighborhood social media groups can help you get an accurate look at the area.
Accessibility
You should evaluate whether your potential colleges can accommodate your specific needs. This includes anything from physical needs—like accessible facilities and housing options—to testing accommodations, or even flexible options for balancing commitments, such as work or family care.
What to look for:
- Disability services: Verify the school has strong support and resources for students with disabilities. This information is usually listed on an Accessibility Services webpage.
- Compatibility with your schedule: Contact an Admissions Counselor to see how taking classes part or full-time may work alongside your other responsibilities. Many schools already give you enough time between classes for a part-time job, care for family, or pursue extracurriculars.
- Transportation help: Check if the institution has any transportation solutions, such as shuttle services, discounted shuttle passes, or other services, and where to find accessible parking.
Tip: Find website information on accessibility services and contact the office in charge to confirm they can meet your needs.
Size
The size of the college refers to how big the student population is. This directly impacts both the classroom experience, mentorship opportunities, and the overall feeling of the campus.
What to look for:
- Student-faculty ratio: Even large schools can have enough faculty to ensure class sizes are small, meaning more direct interaction with professors. So look beyond just the number of undergraduate students at a campus and focus more on how many teachers they employ per student.
- Community feeling: Would a small, medium, or large school support the sense of “home” and belonging you’re looking for in a college? Some students prefer the level of activity that comes from a larger city, while others prefer the serenity of a small town.
Tip: Like a student-faculty ratio, the ratio of academic advisors to the size of the student body can mean that at some institutions, an advisor has fewer students, allowing them to dedicate more time to personal interaction when answering questions about your academic plan.
Academic Resources and Support
Colleges offer different levels of academic resources, such as free tutoring or research assistance.
What to look for:
- Free academic support: Seek out academic success services like writing centers, subject-specific resources, or free access to costly online research databases or news sites.
- Faculty and staff availability: Try to figure out if academic advisors and librarians are easy to access personally or online. These staff members are there to help you find answers to any questions you have.
- Dedicated first-year classes: Some schools offer a specific curriculum that brings the first-year students together to focus on general skills development and preparation for advanced college courses.
Tip: Determine on a school’s website if their resources will help you at all stages—from getting proactive studying help to assistance when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Student Life and Resources
These are services that support your life outside of the classroom so you can focus more on your classes. Choosing a college with the resources you need can make all the difference in your academic success.
What to look for:
- Health and mental health services: Campus resources for health and wellness can include free or low-cost counseling sessions or health checkups when you’re sick.
- Support groups and organizations: Look for groups or services for students like you, from working parents to first-generation and international students.
- First-year support: Your first year at college can be a difficult transition, so some schools offer first-year students special activities and programming.
Tip: Student resource information may appear on several different areas of a college’s website. Do some digging to get the full picture of student support by searching terms like: “wellness,” “mental health,” “belonging,” or even “spiritual life” if that’s a priority for you.
Campus Facilities and Safety
You want to choose a safe college environment that offers hands-on practice with equipment you’ll use in the real world. Research the technologies and tools of fields you’re interested in, and find out if a school has updated facilities like buildings, labs, libraries, and technical tools available to undergraduate students. Other important facilities on campus include security facilities.
What to look for:
- Program-specific facilities: If you are studying a specific field, such as science, digital communication, or healthcare, evaluate the quality and modernity of equipment and labs.
- Ways to save money: Check for facilities such as free gyms or low-cost student dining options that can help you save money each semester.
- Campus safety features: Learn about the school’s safety measures, including campus police or security presence, well-lit pathways, and transportation options, such as shuttles or escort services, for getting around safely at night.
Tip: Connect directly with faculty or current students in your program of interest to hear more detailed explanations of available technology. Attending an open house or a tour can be a good opportunity to explore the most useful facilities and be shown around in person.
Alumni Network
An alumni network reflects the graduates of an institution, where they work, what their influence is in different industries, and how they connect with current students.
What to look for:
- Network strength: A strong alumni network can help while you’re in school and after you graduate. Are statistics about how many graduates or their career outcomes available? What industries could they provide connections in?
- Mentorship programs: Does the school specifically offer official programs or staff members who can connect students with alum mentors?
- Alumni engagement: Look beyond career and alumni programs to see if alumni events or activities are common. Does this mean more job or internship opportunities?
Tip: A strong alumni base in your chosen industry can be a critical factor in the long-term return on investment on your tuition, so don’t ignore it.
Tips for Deciding Which College Is Right For You
Choosing a college is a hugely personal decision. These tips can help you select schools that align with your core needs, values, and goals.
Tip: Set Goals First
Before looking at any college, write down exactly what you hope to achieve. This could be “A job in healthcare within 6 months of graduation” or “A cost of attendance under $5,000 per semester.”
Setting specific goals ensures the college you choose genuinely serves your long-term goals. While you don’t need to know everything about your future career (college is for exploration, after all), you can also use career assessments to match your interests and talents to high-demand careers.
Tip: Determine Non-Negotiables vs. What is Flexible
Chances are, you’ll have to make choices between institutions that check different boxes on your list. Start by identifying which areas you’re willing to compromise on versus the aspects that are critical to your experience and success.
Must-haves may be a specific major, evening classes, or a Net Price under a specific amount. Flexible “nice-to-haves” may include a huge sports team or a brand new dorm.
Tip: Periodically Check In With Your Goals
As you explore different colleges, your goals may evolve. It’s important to revisit your initial goals periodically to ensure they still align with your aspirations or to determine if adjustments are necessary.
Additionally, the job market's requirements can change from year to year. Check job outlook data to see if career projections make a difference in your program or school choice.
How to Research and Evaluate Colleges
Use reliable tools and talk to the experts to help you choose the right college. Our best advice is:
- Use official data: Tools like the College Scorecard (Department of Education) and College Navigator (National Center for Education Statistics) can help you crunch the numbers, from financial aid to graduation rates.
- Find critical information on the website: Look for student success and outcomes information, support services, and pages that describe academic programs.
- Leverage campus visits: A campus visit offers more than a tour; it helps you visualize your commute and parking, and connect with your actual future advisors and professors. Virtual visits are equally informative and can connect you with the right people.
Making a College Application List
After choosing a few of your favorite colleges, build a final list of colleges to apply to by thinking of three categories: Safety Schools, Target Schools, and Reach Schools.
How do you decide which colleges are safeties, targets, or reaches? Research admissions requirements, acceptance rates, and typical acceptance criteria for each option. Then, determine whether your academic and admissions profile is likely to meet the requirements for admission.
- Safety Schools: Your grades and application profile are well above average for typical admitted students. These options provide a stronger guarantee to start college when you want.
- Target Schools: You have a solid chance at admissions, with a student profile mostly matching their average. Focus your efforts on this group.
- Reach Schools: These are more selective schools on your list. Even if your profile is below average, spending extra energy on these applications can boost your chances of acceptance.
Why think of these categories? Applying to safety, target, and reach schools is a strategy to maximize acceptance and reduce application risk, and therefore, stress.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t know my major yet?
It’s very common to start college without knowing your major for sure. Depending on the college, you can apply as “undecided” or without declaring a major. Or, you can start in one major and switch majors later on with guidance from academic advisors.
How should I consider college rankings?
Rankings are just one of many factors to consider, as we’ve discussed. Additionally, the large number of sources of state and national rankings makes it hard to draw a direct comparison or judge which sources are more reliable than others. Therefore, rankings may not always reflect the best fit for you, and in the worst-case scenario, they can even be misleading, especially when ranking factors are not disclosed.
How many colleges and universities are in Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has over 240 public and private institutions, including major research universities, technical schools, and liberal arts colleges.
- Public universities: This group includes the ten state-owned universities under the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), plus four state universities.
- Private non-profit universities: Pennsylvania is home to many of the nation’s most respected private colleges. These institutions often have generous, merit-based financial aid packages to lower the Net Price.
- Two-year colleges: The state also has technical schools and community colleges that offer associate degrees, which can be an affordable starting point for any education path.
Final Thoughts on Choosing a College
The right college for you is the school that offers the program you need and the lifestyle you want at a price you can afford. By focusing on your career goals, financial needs, and the specific factors outlined above, you can confidently find an institution that maximizes your chance of success.
As you continue your search, remember to use reliable data sources and don’t hesitate to reach out to a college admissions team or financial aid office for personalized answers.
