Decisions Decisions….

For those heading to university this fall, this is about the time when all your decisions must be final. If you’re like me, and you procrastinated until now to make a decision, it’s really okay. I mean when most people ask me where I’m going for university, and I reply “Uhmm, yeah, I’m not entirely sure yet”, their first response is “What…”, and then comes “How have you not made a decision yet?”.

Well, it’s not like I’ve haven’t made a decision entirely, but I’ve cut the ones that for sure I’m not going, and reconsidered the ‘maybes’, and then narrowed it down to 2 potentially ‘YESES’.

I don’t know about most people, but deciding where to go for university is really hard. I mean choosing this place that you’re spending potentially and apparently ‘the best 4 years’ of your life is a lot of pressure on yourself. I can’t decide whether to stay at home or move away. All those goals and ideas you have in the beginning of the year shift as you mature and understand the atmosphere of becoming a university student (and as your rejection letters pile up).

But anyways, for those seniors and non-seniors heading to university, it’s really crunch time!

While I’m facing these dilemmas myself, I thought I could share a little of my non-existent wisdom with you guys.

The Big Five, in no particular order, to consider while making you’re life changing decision…

1. Location (Importance may vary among people)

Some may want to move away to a big city, some may prefer to move to a so-called ‘school town’ (Ahem, Kingston), while some may not mind at all. But the location really contributes to much of your university experiences. As big as the campus may be, after a year of school, I’m pretty sure you’re going to see most of it and want to explore more. So the student life outside of campus, accessibility for students, and student benefits within the city, town, village…etc, is really important for these upcoming four years.

2. Student Experiences

It’s great to learn from you’re ‘ancestors’? Find those who have tested the water before you and get their input. No matter how great the school representatives might make it sound, at the end of the day it’s really your experience you’re worried about. Those who can relate have been in your shoes, so don’t be afraid to go online and definitely do your research more thoroughly! (There are top-notch schools with very bad student experiences in various aspects, whether it’s academically or not, take everything into account, you’re ‘winner’ must be the best quality!)

3. Quality of Student Services

This is really important for upcoming freshmen to lookout for. There have been past instances where the school may be great, but the student services are not. Maybe there’s no one really there to guide students through their studies or preparing for their careers or pursuing a post-graduate degree. Like student experiences, it’s good to ask around, and sometimes you can learn a lot by calling and asking random questions. I’ve called a few of my schools for legitimate reasons, to ask about my application and other course information, and there’s really a difference in attitude and quality. I’m not going to say which schools, but those schools who truly care about their students will treat both their current and prospective students well. If you click with your telephone assistant person, then by all means, go for it!

4. Reputation (To an extent, don’t worry too much if you’re pursuing a post-graduate degree)

I know a lot of people choose to attend certain schools because ‘it sounds good’, even if they dislike the location or the school. I mean reputation matters to an extent, but if you’re pursuing a post-graduate degree, it matters less in the future. If you really want to stay home for school instead of moving away to a big-name school, ie. staying for University of Calgary or move away for University of Toronto, then consider this point. I mean if you’re moving away for Harvard or Stanford, that’s on a whole other level and a completely different story.

5. Quality of administration

This is basically the quality of teachers and staff. It’s somewhat similar to student services, but in a more administrative perspective. Some schools might be known for their teaching styles and certain teachers, some for having a ‘chillax’ environment, while others could have heavy bureaucracy. This really ties into the atmosphere of the campus and the entire school. This all depends on whether you enjoy being in a campus that feels prestigious, relaxing, calm, or friendly.

Obviously, my top 5 as a student may not be the same as your parents or yourself, but hopefully, this gave a little insight to you procrastinators! Regardless of where you end up, Best of Luck!

If you want more information (even though you should’ve already done this research when you were applying), check This out!