Making the Decision
Tips
Congratulations are in order because you received one (or more) acceptance offers from a college, career school, or service academy. All of your hard work has paid off because you’ve kept up with your planned objectives, goals, activities, and meeting those tremendously important deadlines. Now you get to make a decision and decide which offer is best for you and your family. It’s your choice.
When thinking about which opportunity is best for you, don’t worry about choosing the “perfect” one. The bottom line is that whichever opportunity you select, it’s about what you make of it. Whether it’s choosing from two colleges, deciding which career school is best, or to enter a service academy or head straight into a career field, being prepared with well-thought-out plans is a sure way to get your name printed, when your school’s 2 or 4 year term is completed, right onto a college, career school, or service academy diploma, certificate, or licensure. In the end, this is what really matters, and best of all, next will come your full-time earnings complete with a benefit package. Then you can really celebrate!
Here are a few quick tips to assist you with making your decision:
Important! With your responses sent to schools declining their offer, don’t risk losing your place at that school of choice. Send in your enrollment deposit before the deadline date, and make sure that however you’re financing your postsecondary education (i.e., loans, grants, personal check, etc.), you have a limited time to make up your mind. Many schools list May 1st as the deadline for making a final decision, so make yours in time!
When thinking about which opportunity is best for you, don’t worry about choosing the “perfect” one. The bottom line is that whichever opportunity you select, it’s about what you make of it. Whether it’s choosing from two colleges, deciding which career school is best, or to enter a service academy or head straight into a career field, being prepared with well-thought-out plans is a sure way to get your name printed, when your school’s 2 or 4 year term is completed, right onto a college, career school, or service academy diploma, certificate, or licensure. In the end, this is what really matters, and best of all, next will come your full-time earnings complete with a benefit package. Then you can really celebrate!
Here are a few quick tips to assist you with making your decision:
- Request More Information
- Ask questions.
Make a list of any questions you may still have about the colleges and career schools you are considering.
- Get the answers you need.
The questions you have remaining should be relatively easy to have answered at this point. You’re almost there! Start with the official website and the admission officer. Make sure you to use only trustworthy sources of information and be sure to distinguish between fact, fiction, or opinion.
- Visit and revisit.
If possible, take an opportunity to visit or revisit the college, career school, or service academy campus or site location. If you are unable to, physically, get to the campus, call or e-mail the admission office with your questions. In addition, think about taking a virtual tour. In many cases you can find this link on the school’s official website. A great resource is your high school counselor as well as teachers who may know students who graduated from your high school and now attend the college, career school, or service academy you plan on attending.
- Compare and Contrast. Use your new information to sort the opportunities by what they offer and what you want. Make a list of the pros and cons for each college, career school, or service academy programs, and always remember to consider your fit factors and the exact support services you are looking for.
- Reach out and Respond.
- your signed acceptance letter;
- a deposit, if applicable;
- a separate acceptance letter for financial aid, if required; and
- any other required items.
Important! With your responses sent to schools declining their offer, don’t risk losing your place at that school of choice. Send in your enrollment deposit before the deadline date, and make sure that however you’re financing your postsecondary education (i.e., loans, grants, personal check, etc.), you have a limited time to make up your mind. Many schools list May 1st as the deadline for making a final decision, so make yours in time!