• Type of school. Most students choose a four-year college where they will ultimately earn a B.A. (bachelor of arts) or B.S. (bachelor of science) degree. But there are other options: shorter programs (offered by many community colleges) leading to an associate's degree, and vocational schools, to name just a couple. A four-year college offers the greatest amount of flexibility in future education and careers, but even so, it's not always the best choice for every student. Also keep in mind that your child's decision is not carved in stone: Students who initially earn associate's degrees can later decide to transfer to a four-year program.



• Size of college. Large schools tend to offer a very broad range of academic subjects and extracurricular activities. Although many big universities boast a number of top-rank professors, the average student may only see them in large lecture halls, while most of the more intimate, hands-on teaching is in fact done by graduate students. Smaller schools usually have fewer famous professors but offer more access to them. In terms of social life, big schools provide a lot of variety; however, it may be easier to get to know classmates at smaller campuses. Some students feel lost at a big school; others feel too confined at a small one.



• Cost. In principle, financial aid is intended to make all colleges accessible to all students. But the reality is that going to a more expensive school may involve a greater financial sacrifice for a family. From a strictly financial point of view, state universities may seem to be an obvious bargain compared with most private schools, which can cost three times as much (or more). However, if a student qualifies for a substantial scholarship or other types of financial incentives at a particular private college, it might actually end up being affordable-even cheaper than a state school in some cases.



• Location. Some students thrive on the excitement of a big city; others immerse themselves in their studies and don't pay much attention to the world outside their dorm-room walls. Your teen may have strong feelings about which part of the country he lives in. If he loves skiing, for example, that might eliminate a lot of territory. If he's prone to seasonal depression, a place with long, cloudy winters may be out.
  
  Closeness to family is another key issue. How important is it to you and to your teen to be able to spend time together more than once or twice a year? Does your child want to be driving distance from you, or is it OK for a trip home to require some advanced planning and an airline ticket?



• Academic majors. While many teens enter college without a clear-cut academic major in mind, and a lot of students change majors during the course of their schooling, most have at least a general idea of what they're interested in. A school that is strong in humanities but weak in natural sciences may be perfect for a student whose passion is Renaissance poetry. On the other hand, it's not unheard of for a poetry-lover to switch to, say, pre-med and develop a sudden interest in physics and chemistry. A college with all-around strengths gives students more flexibility to change their minds without having to change schools.



• Extracurricular activities. Students who are committed to a particular athletic or extracurricular activity--football, for example, or ceramics--often are tempted to choose a school that excels in that area. It's better, however, if there are several areas where the school's strengths and the student's interests overlap. Otherwise, he may find himself unhappy for the many hours of each day when he is not involved in his favorite pursuit.



• Religious identification. Some students know, without any hesitation, that they will attend a school with a specific religious identity. Others need to decide how important it is to them to combine religious training with secular studies. They may decide that having an active religious community within a secular university is what they need. Or religion may not factor into their choice at all. This is an area where parents often have strong feelings as well.



• Ethnic and other diversity. One of the virtues of a college education is the opportunity for students to learn from, and about, each other. Counterbalancing the benefit of diversity is the support some students derive from being surrounded by peers with similar values and worldviews. This consideration applies equally to racial or ethnic diversity, geographic and political diversity, and sexual diversity (co-educational versus single sex, if there is a sizeable gay or lesbian community, etc.).



• Reputation. Some colleges have a reputation for being party schools; others see themselves as serious or politically progressive. It may be hard to determine this sort of information from the college catalog, but certain guidebooks note each school's special flavor--and, of course, this is one of the main things to look for on a campus visit.

• College issues

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