By Ayah Hassan, Staff Writer
As high school comes to an end for the class of 2025, they prepare to begin a new chapter in their lives. Transitioning from high school to college is a big change. Some students move away from their families while some decide to commute. Many have already chosen what career to pursue, while others still haven’t decided. Either way, there are many big decisions for seniors to make before the school year ends, and that includes what college to attend.
There are many different things that students take into account when choosing a college. It’s important to identify priorities when making a decision. For some, it’s about finding the right academic program or major, while others prioritize campus size, location, affordability, and the overall structure of the environment. Some students want to stay close to home, while others are eager to experience a new city, state, or even a different country. “I need a small campus and I need to be closer to home,” Ariella Schulterbrant comments, highlighting the importance of comfort and accessibility in her decision. Gina Dhaliwal explains that she’s looking for “something that has a good community and good networking for the future for jobs and a good population size—where it’s not so small that it feels like high school but not so large that I feel like I can’t really find anything.” These personal preferences and lifestyle needs help guide students toward the college where they feel they’ll thrive both socially and academically.
Students are pursuing a variety of academic fields based on their interests and passions. Lola Doughty explains that she’s “planning on studying kinesiology,” which she explains is the study of movement. Lola has committed to Towson University which she (explains) “has a good kinesiology program,” one of the strongest in Maryland. Another senior, Taylor Wilson, while still waiting to hear back from other colleges shares that “NYU is [her] top college” so far. While still undecided on her major, Taylor expresses her interest in the business industry “I applied to marketing there,” she states.
For many students, choosing a college comes down to more than just academics. While academics play a very important role, many colleges have a good academic reputation, so factors such as environment, tuition cost, size and location also play a large role. Mischa Nowrangi is currently choosing between her three top colleges: Boston University, Johns Hopkins, and University of Pennsylvania. “The wide range of academic groups and the diversity is something I like about Boston,” Mischa comments. “I’ve also been there and the campus is pretty.” When it comes to Hopkins, Mischa explains that she gets a decreased tuition since her dad works as a professor there. “I’ve also been on campus there and I like the setting,” she explains. Lastly, “For UPenn, I think their rigorous academics and setting and the student body is appealing,” Mischa emphasizes.
While some already have a clear idea of what they want to study or what college to attend, some are still undecided. Roughly 80 percent of students change their major at least once, and on average students change their major at least three times during their college career. Regardless of what it may seem, most people don’t have their entire life figured out by the time they graduate, so don’t stress yourself out. College is a time for growth, exploration and discovering new passions. What matters most is choosing a college that feels right for you based on your own wants and needs.