Finding the right college is probably the most important step you’re going to take after exit high school.  Even if you’re out of high school and you’re planning on attending college or you’re attending a community college, there are some steps you can take in order to find that great college for you.

Treat it like a job

The first thing you want to do is treat college searching like a job.  You’re going to want to set aside at least 2-4 hours a day to search your potential colleges.  You’ll want to research everything you can about the college and thankfully with the Internet, you’re able to do this.

Ask yourself these questions

There are a lot of questions that you will want to ask yourself when you look for that college and here are some of them that can get you on the right path –

• Do you want to stay in the state you’re living in right now?  Does the state matter?  Will you move away if you have to?
• Does the college offer your major?
• How much do you want to spend?  Keep in mind that all colleges vary greatly with prices. 
• What kind of GPA, SAT, ACT scores do I need to be qualified?
• How many students does the college hold?
• Do I want to stay in a dorm?
• Does location matter?  Do you want to be near a lot?
• Do you want to attend a big campus?

Answer some of these questions and this should hopefully lead you to what you’re looking for.  If you want great location but you don’t want to go to school with 25,000 students then the University of Michigan may not be for you.

Create a spreadsheet and mark the positives

After your research, you’re probably going to find a handful of colleges that you really like.  What you want to do once you find these colleges are write them down all on a piece of paper or store them in the computer.  When you write down the colleges you like, I want you to write down five things that you enjoy or really like about these colleges.  You can go over five but if you keep it limited, it will be easier for you.

Write down all the facts

If you’re still having a hard time picking out a college, even after your points, you’ll want ot then resort to the facts.  The next step you’ll want to take is by categorizing your college’s qualities. 

• Here, you’re going to want to list the following –
• Does it offer your major?
• What are the minimum qualifications?  Do you qualify?
• How many students get jobs after graduation?
• Costs?  Room and Board?  Books?
• How many students attend?
• What are the class sizes like?

After you write these things down, you’ll hopefully get a clearer picture by now.  If you’re still having troubles, try and ask around online or look for other reviews that you can use.  There are plenty of resources online that you can resort to help your college search.  Finding the perfect college doesn’t happen overnight and it shouldn’t be something you stress over.  Take your time and the college shall come to you.