**Although this was written last year, it is a different time to be selecting a college. With our new way of life & uncertainty, I hope this can help. Good luck to all seniors in your college and future. 

It’s that time of year again. All the future 2020 fall freshmen are getting ready to select their university and college, but stuck on which one to pick?

Now that you’ve finished all the college application essays and have visited all the colleges you’re interested in, it’s time to make that big decision. Some ways to choose are: create a pro and con list; as an athlete, base your decision on their facilities; and visualize yourself at each school.

Steps to Your Decision

First, rip out a sheet of paper and write pro on one side and con on the other. On the pro side, simply jot down all the aspects of the college that you like. For example, you may write “comfortable looking library”, “good food in the cafeteria”, and ability to travel abroad. For the con side, you may jot down that the food was not very good. You might not like the freshman housing. Honestly, look back at the notes or the visits you had and write down anything that jumps out at you as being positive or negative.

Another aspect to base your decision if you’re a scholar athlete is what kind of help or leeway do the professors give you on assignments when at away tournaments and games? How safe, clean, and new are the athletic facilities? If you become injured, what does their training room look like and how knowledgeable are the people working there?

After your list is finished and you took time to grade the facilities, take time to visualize yourself at each school. Go back on line and look at their quad grass area, surroundings, and the buildings. Picture yourself at the cafeteria and the library. Think about the weather each college has and see yourself in winter clothes and sweaters. Is this a place that is going to feel good to your mind and soul?

This Decision is Yours

Your parents may have ideas, however be sure to make this decision based on your likes and dislikes. You will be the one spending the next four years.

My eldest picked her college because it was the best archaeology school in the country. She looked into the professors and looked up their credentials. She knew she would get the best education there. Since she was a swimmer and wanted to swim for an NCAA college, the facility and the coach were a big plus for her. Because her college matched the scholarship money of another university, she said that was the biggest deciding point for her.

My youngest daughter based her choice on her career as well. Although she was also a scholar athlete who played volleyball, she picked her college because of its affiliation with companies such as Food Network. Since she would be studying business and earning her MBA to one day have her own bakery, her decision was easy. The scenery of being on a beach and receiving the most scholarship money was the influence for her. Being an athlete, she liked the athletic and training facility. Even though she was being recruited by Division I universities, she selected a Division III because she was afraid of losing her scholarship money if she was injured as a Division I player.

Breathe, Decide, Rejoice

With only days away from this important decision, remember to do a pro and con list for the colleges you are most interested in and think about which school will offer the most money. Be sure to visualize yourself at the school and remember you’ll be there for four to five years for graduate work. Once you have decided, say it out loud to your parents. Hearing it will let you know how your mind and soul feel. 

Before you panic, listen to Bill Eckstrom’s TEDx Talk, Why Comfort Will Ruin Your Life, http:/www.youtube.com. His words will help motivate you to select your choice. If all else fails, grab a quarter and select heads for one school and tails for the other. Fling the coin in the air and yell out heads or tails. Usually, when confronted with a big decision, your gut will let you know at that moment which college you really want to attend. Good luck and best wishes on your future.

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