Decision-Making Guide
Help Your Child Choose
The waiting is over and your child got in! Of course, if your child has been accepted by more than one college, she will have to choose. Here are some tips to help support your child during the final decision-making process.
Prioritize College Characteristics
Your child should start with some soul-searching to determine what she really wants in a college. Is it more important to her to attend a college with a good English department or one that offers fraternities? Your child should create a list of college characteristics and then rank these characteristics in order of importance.
Compare Colleges
Your child can use the College Board's College Search to compare basic characteristics of up to three colleges side-by-side. See differences—from distance to cost—at a glance.
Visit College Campuses
Visiting a college campus can help break a deadlock if your child can't decide between two colleges. At this point, a campus visit should be less about facts and figures than intuition and whether or not your child "clicks" with a particular college—she should ask, "Will I be happy on this campus? Can I really picture myself here?" Your child can get a good feel for the school by talking to students, sitting in on a class, and dining in the cafeteria.
Your student's colleges might also offer open houses, receptions and other on-campus events for admitted students. Take advantage of these events to visit campuses for the first time or for a return visit, and meet students, faculty, and administrators.
Compare Financial Aid Award Packages
If your child received offers of financial aid, use the College Board's Compare Your Aid Awards page to compare:
- The total amount of aid awarded;
- The family share of costs; and
- The percentage of gift aid (grants and scholarships) vs. self-help aid (work-study and loans) for up to four schools side by side.
Include Your Child in College Financing Discussions
If family finances or other circumstances will affect the decision, let your child know up front. She should be aware of any sacrifices, financial or otherwise, that will be required to make college a reality. Decisions about financial aid, such as whether to take a student loan or work-study job, should be made as a family.
Decide and Reply
Once your child has made a decision, she should send in her acceptance letter before the reply deadline. Be sure your child informs the other schools that offered admission that she will not be attending—this frees up places for other students.
Support Your Child's Decision
For many families, this is the first adult decision a child will make. Be there with advice and support, but remember that your child should be more than capable of making this decision on her own. Your child will be attending the college and is therefore responsible for her education.
Don't feel pressured to find that one, perfect school. Many colleges may fit the bill. The right college is one at which your child will feel happiest and be prepared for a lifetime of learning and success.
