(PA) @ University of South Dakota @ University of Tennessee @ University of Tulsa (OK) @ University of Pittsburgh and Other Pittsburgh Area Colleges @ University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee @ University of Wisconsin—Superior @ University of Wyoming @ Valparaiso University (IN) @ Vanderbilt University (TN) @ Wright State University (OH)
@ Air Force Academy (CO) @ Ball State University (IN) @ Boise State University (ID) @ Brock University (Ontario) @ California Polytechnic State University @ Carthage College (WI) @ Central Michigan University @ Chico State University (CA) @ Colorado State University @ Cornell College (IA)
THE BIG CHOICE: How Do I Choose a College? By Rev. Marcus Zill
What will I do with my life? Where will I work? Whom will I marry? Where will I live? Many of the biggest choices that you will make in your life will be made while you are at college. But one of the biggest, and certainly one of the first, will happen before you even go to college. That choice, THE BIG CHOICE, is where you will go to college in the first place. There are many factors that go into making such a decision, but here are a few tips to hopefully help you out along the way: 1) Your church life at college is priority #1! The biggest question you should ask yourself in researching colleges is a simple one: Where will I go to be fed with Christ’s gifts while at school? For most people this is the very last thing that they usually consider, but “what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?” (Mark 8:36) 2) Get to know yourself Examine yourself and ask yourself some key questions: Why do I want to go to college? What am I good at? Do I need to be close to family and friends? Do I need to get away from the same old circle of friends? Do I like to be around a lot of people or do I feel more at home in a smaller environment?
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3) Start early It’s never too early to start thinking about college (well, you might wait at least until you are out of the 8th grade!), and there are a lot of things you can do to aid the selection process “before” the process even starts. For instance, take time to visit a variety of college campuses as you are able, even if they aren’t ones you are likely to consider. The more you are on college campuses, the more quickly you will get a feel for what type of college you might like to explore later on. 4) Don’t stress about your major More college students change their majors while in college than don’t. I changed my major three times. Pick a
college that has a breadth of options for you, in case you do. The bottom line is that most high school students don’t really have enough information to completely zero in on a major before they get to college. Being undecided is just fine. Don’t sweat it! Take your required classes first and enjoy using your electives to gain the depth needed to determine what you are most interested in pursuing as a major. 5) Distance from home Should you stay close to home or get away? In general, I’ve found that it is helpful to be far enough away from home to feel like you have gotten out on your own, but close enough to be able to get back if you need to. You don’t have to go too far away to strike out on your own, but many who stay too close to home have a hard time doing just that. 6) Yes, money matters While you shouldn’t be scared off by any college until you really know what kind of financial aid package they might give you, keep in mind that you also don’t want to put yourself in a deep financial hole before you even finish college. You are called to be a good steward of all you have been given by our gracious God, so it is important to save money where you can. And if you think you will likely go to graduate school anyway, why spend the big dollars for your undergraduate degree? 7) Private vs. public schools Don’t assume that you will necessarily get a better education at a private school (or even a Christian one) than a public institution. There are many wonderful private schools, including those in the Concordia University System. However, don’t be surprised to find many of the same issues at a Christian college that you would expect at a secular one.
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Duluth @ University of Minnesota—Morris @ University of Minnesota—Twin Cities @ University of North Carolina—Greensboro @ University of North Dakota @ University of Northern Colorado @ University of Northern Iowa @ University of Oklahoma @ University of Pittsburgh
