One of the most important decisions a high schooler can make is deciding which college to attend. Students will dedicate anywhere from two to eight years of their life at a college institution; it is a decision worth a considerable amount of thought. The Director of Guidance and Counseling for LPS, Greg Casel, shared the most important factors to consider while choosing a college.

“Primary factors include if the college has the major that the student needs to pursue; in the end you want to walk out with a degree that will help you get where you want to be professionally,” Casel said.

The choice of a major is incredibly important, but students need to be sure they are comfortable with their college environment before making a long-term commitment.

“The second factor would be location. Whether it’s a certain range from home or in a certain environment, like how people want to live in an urban area, or a traditional college town,” Casel said.

The most decisive factor, however, is cost. No matter how much a student loves a university, if they can’t afford it, they need to look somewhere else.

“Cost is very important for most students. The least expensive option is going to a community college, the second least expensive would be Missouri state schools, and the next most expensive are state schools outside of Missouri. The most expensive, at least on face value, are private schools, although private schools will typically give more scholarships,” Casel said.

There are always students who, after investing in their education, are indecisive about their major.

“If a student is unsure of their major, a bigger school may be a better fit for that student due to the fact that the school will offer more majors that the student could change to when they decide what major they wish to involve themselves in,” Casel said.