Help! I Got Accepted Everywhere! What Now?

One of life's biggest thrills is getting accepted by the college of your dreams. However, getting accepted into every college you apply to can be a bit overwhelming, leaving you with a pile of acceptance letters and a tough decision. So what should you do?

Setting Your Priorities

Let's start by creating a list of things that you care about. Are you into sports? The city around a campus? Student to faculty ratio? The hours your professors are available? Particular clubs or student organizations? Greek life? Dorm life? The reputation of your program? Social scene? Everyone's list will be a huge factor in making these major decisions, so it's incredibly important that your list is your own. After prioritizing what matters to you, start finding out what each school has to offer regarding each item on your list. This is a great start to choosing which school is The One For You from all of your acceptance letters.

Watching Your Wallet

College is very expensive. Big shock, right? For students who are looking to learn on a budget and not dig themselves into a mound of student loan debt that they may never pay off, comparing how much financial aid each school is offering may be the determining factor regarding choosing a school. While money should not be the lone issue that students consider regarding their education, it simply cannot be overlooked.

Explore Your Program

Do you already know what you want to major in? Every school will have a lot of choices for you, and each of these different programs at each of these different schools will carry varying levels of prestige. Let's face it: a program's reputation is pretty important - especially for students looking to go into Graduate School. Don't be careless, though, if you aren't. Having a reputable program on your resume may be the difference in landing your dream job and struggling through a position you don't enjoy.

Put Yourself on Campus

Many people never take into account how important it is to enjoy the daily life that he or she would experience at their various academic choices. Remember that there is a big difference between living under the bright lights of Las Vegas, Nevada and enrolling in a comparable program in Ames, Iowa. Don't take anything for granted or skip over any details during your search. If you know you couldn't keep yourself under control in Sin City, don't enroll in a program you're likely to fail out of. If, however, you know you'd go stir-crazy in the rural surroundings in and around a town like Ames, maybe what you need is a chance to practice the discipline required to succeed in the Vegas atmosphere. Keep this in mind when making the choice about where to spend the next few years of your life.

Dig into the "Blog-osphere"

Searching the internet for blogs about schools will turn up more information than you would probably imagine. Entering the blogosphere will give you a unique opportunity to learn about what's going on with the student body because that's where most of the content is coming from. It's a great way to get a feel for various programs, what living on campus is like and even find out about the small things like parking, cost of meal plans and how much you can expect to sell your books for after each semester. No matter what you're looking for, student blogs are a great way to go straight to the proverbial horse's mouth.

Remember This:

• Keep track of every campus visit you take. Make additional trips to any schools that particularly interest you and compare the notes from each tour.
• Keep up great study habits and the best grades you can, because all college acceptances and financial aid offerings are conditional.
• Maintain communication with schools you don't attend. Once your final decision is made, let them know you will be enrolling elsewhere. Be sure to send personal thank you notes to the individuals that have helped you through this process.