Most colleges have a local alumni chapter in or near your city. This resource can be especially valuable if you've picked a college in another state.
Review your financial aid package and follow up on scholarships and other outstanding funding requests to ensure you'll be able to cover all of the required costs during your first year of attendance.
While money and formal networks are the meat and potatoes of college life, college culture is the secret sauce. College culture can make or break an experience, as each has a different personality: some are quiet and quirky, while others are busy and high energy.
Adulting is easier said than done. You won't miss all of the little and big things your parents do for you until you're miles away, hungry and without clean clothes.
Make a list of all of the things you must do each day, such as attending classes, study groups, and practices or doing homework. Then make a list of those things you want to do, including working out or joining campus clubs.
Brochures and websites may help you paint a general picture of what it will feel like to attend college, but an in-person visit will allow you to speak with students, staff members, and instructors face to face.
Finding the right college takes time and effort, not to mention research and an often-lengthy application process. Waiting until the last minute or just “falling into a college” is never a good idea.
Following a boyfriend, girlfriend, or best friend to the college of their choice may seem like a promising idea at the time, but this is one of the most pivotal points in your life, too. You need to remember to make the best decisions for yourself. If your relationships are strong, they will outlast time and distance anyway.