<p>First of all, you need to decide what major you are interested to study in. Then find all the colleges that has good strength in that particular major. Finally shortlist the colleges based on other criteria, and visit their campus if possible. Now see which college stands out from all others and make your next move.</p>
<p>College is overrated. Public school brain washes you from kindergarten that college is the answer to all you dreams. It isn’t. The material is overly esoteric. The professors are out of touch with reality and care mostly about their own careers. Graduates can’t find a way to make a living because the schools don’t train them in anything. The job placement departments are a joke and sham. The so-called elite schools are the biggest lie of all. I suggest one go with the money. This country is going broke - save your pennies.</p>
<p>Prestige. I would pick the more prestigious school even if I got into one with a better program for my major. The next consideration is how close it is to home, but I’d still pick the farther school if I had to. I only applied to the UC system, so cost plays no real role for my decisions.</p>
<p>Hi. I believe that the application process, which many pound as unfair, is actually essential to get you ready for competing in the real world. It’s a Darwenian process. Those who make it their focused mission to get into a top school, stopping at nothing, should get in, and then be best positioned to take advantage of all that school offers. It’s unfortunate, but we are competing against one another - it’s like a real life Hunger Games! My choice is Stanford. I’m a junior, and every cell in my body is working on overtime to become a Cardinal. Wish me luck 
@Cardinalgrl2017</p>
<p>Public school are very important to me. if I’m going to live somewhere for 10 years i need to feel comfortable. if I’m not comfortable then i won’t as happy, involved, or work up to my potential.</p>
<p>It is funny to how there are so many opinions about what school to go to. For so many people that i know, the biggest attraction to a school is if it will give them any scholarship money to get in. What school they will be able to afford and that has a degree program that they are interested in.</p>
<p>The debate over whether or not an Ivy League education is more impressive than another type is pretty much a non-issue with those that would not even consider that choice simply due to cost.</p>
<p>And yes, it is true that there is money for those that do very well academically and that stand out enough to be noticed. There are those kids and then there are the rest of them. Those that get through HS OK and then simply go to school close to home. </p>
<p>So, that would be what is on my list of most important: close enough to home to be able to commute. Cost effective enough that it is affordable. Local CC with financial aid and then acceptance into the state school is fine if you are personable enough to be able to talk to the person that interviews you for the job that you want after graduating.</p>
<p>IMO academic strength in your intended major and the location is the two most important factors in choosing a college.</p>
<p>I put “prestige,” “academic strength in my intended major” (however, though I’ll major in CS, tech schools are not really on my list), “far away enough from home,” and “tuition.” It’s not really tuition that I’m concerned about, though; it’s the generosity of a school’s financial aid committee.</p>
<p>It’s all about Prestige & academic ranking & reputation are important for me. After these choices I would like to select how close it is to my home.</p>
<p>I think choosing a college is a risk factor for all the students.So it always depend upon the placement .In india good college is directly propotional to placement given by the college.
Here my point is to get good college you have score a good rank in entrance exam.Afterall i am sharing a site here to prepare online for the exam like IIT,AIEEE AND JEE. [Entrance</a> Exam India, IBPS, AIEEE, JEE (MAIN), JEE (ADVANCED), AIPMT, ACET, WBJEE, MHT CET, OJEE, KCET, EAMCET, XAT, MAT](<a href=“http://www.entranceindia.com/]Entrance”>http://www.entranceindia.com/)</p>
<p>So guyz all the best…</p>
<p>Here is my take on this not just as a college graduate but as a financial adviser. </p>
<ol>
<li><p>If your parents have 250k stashed away for you to go to college by all means disregard tuition and anything related to career prospects. If that is what makes you happy and your parents will subsidize your lifestyle because they are rich go right ahead. This represents a fraction of the population in the US. </p></li>
<li><p>If you are the typical middle class or lower class kid look heavily into your projected lifestyle desires during and after college. Choosing heavy debt and prestige at a nice private school rather than affordability at a state school may be a mistake. For example at the national office I work at I have a variety of different undergraduate and graduate alma maters. I went to community college then to a 4th tier university. I graduated with no debt. One of my cooworkers went to a more prestigious school and graduated with 70k in loan debt. The repayment is around 800 per month and it severely hinders his lifestyle and it will for a decade. With interest he will probably pay back around 120k. </p></li>
</ol>
<p>My friend cannot just make the choice to go to grad school and take out loans if he wants a masters. HE simply could not afford another 40k worth of debt.</p>
<p>Please think about this! If you have to take on loans ask yourself this.</p>
<p>When I graduate with xxxx amount of debt and I make xxxx salary what sort of lifestyle will I be able to live?</p>
<p>how about adding availability of extracurricular activities?</p>
<p>I honestly need a school that has a good academic reputation but yet still provides a vibe that I’m at home.</p>
<p>Academic reputation is most important especially for graduation colleges because most of the recruiters choose only reputed colleges to hire students I mean for on-campus!! </p>
<p>Climate and culture are also important!!</p>
<p>I think academic strength in what you want to study is the most important, although more subjective things like whether or not you feel like you belong or “fit” at the school is really important as well.</p>
<p>Reputation is one of the things that has to be there… if Reputation is not there then you have wasted your time in college.</p>
<p>Academic reputation is most important to me because the top schools have generally more opportunities for career advancement, recruitment, internships, etc.</p>
<p>COA, fit, and prestige have to be the most important 3 to me, in that order. Location is a close 4th though. Why go to a school where you’ll be so homesick and miserable all the time.</p>
<p>Pick a school you think will make you feel comfortable and flourish! They should also have a great program in whatever you want to go into.</p>
<p>prestige is important if you’re not going to grad school 
otherwise, the prestige of your grad school is more important.</p>