Everyone wants to go to the best college possible.  However, everyone's definition varies depending on their perspective. Instead, you need to understand all the factors that are important to you. One school might be the best based on location, another on cost and another on its academic programs. They are all best according to some factor or someone's definition, but is it best for you?

Let's start with some ways you might define best. Here are some ideas listed alphabetically:

• Academic Programs - majors, certificates, degrees, courses
• Athletics - both intercollegiate and intramural
• Convenience - close to home, or easy to get to, or...
• Cost - affordable without financial assistance, money is no object...
• Extracurricular Activities - clubs and organizations
• Facilities - art, theatre, athletic, laboratories, modern, old...
• Family Ties - mother, father, aunts, uncles, bothers, sister attended
• Financial Aid Offering - will it meet your needs, how does it compare to others
• Friends - all types and sizes are going
• Housing - availability, style: dorm or apartments, required, not required
• Location - close to, far away or just the right distance from home, big city, small city...
• Recommendations - family, friends, teachers, counselors
• Scholarships - do you qualify
• Selectivity - how hard is it to get into the college and is this important to you
• Size - small, medium and large enrollments, same factors for class sizes
• Soft Factors - vending, computers, feel factors
• Specialization - liberal arts, technology, arts, business...
• Technology - do you need a computer, what about labs, use in the classroom
• Weather - hot, cold, sunny, rainy - what is just right for you

As you can see, there are lots of factors that can be used to narrow your college choice. You may even have some ideas that we have not listed. You can use this list as a starting point to begin identifying the factors to find the campus that is best for you.

The downloadable worksheet created by Don and Roberta Lenkeit, respected and knowledgeable faculty members, is available to help you in the process of selecting the best college for you.