There are four essential factors in choosing the right college for you.

Colleges that offer a solid breadth of majors possess a more diverse campus culture and allow you to explore different subjects. A college that is well-known for certain fields of study can offer you top-notch faculty, research opportunities, and industry connections for internships, networking, or job opportunities.

Find a college that goes beyond basic career prep and equips you with ethical decision-making and critical-thinking skills and a greater understanding of and solutions for societal challenges to not only prepare you for a career, but for life.

You’re going to be spending much of your time at college, so consider the campus culture. Visiting the campus gives you an idea of the “feel” of the place. 

It can be easy to get hung up on the cost of a college. Before you let sticker shock whittle down your list of colleges and universities, check out each college’s average financial aid packages, which can sometimes cut the cost of attending in half or more. Good colleges work with students and their families to make an education affordable.

So, how do you find out which colleges are the BEST?

A college information website, such as College Board or the Princeton Review, can be helpful as you learn what majors are offered where and what each college costs. Your best bet is to visit each college’s website. Read the student and faculty stories, see where alumni work. Visit each university’s social media pages, where people share their honest reviews. 

When you find colleges that meet these essential factors, you’ve found a good college, where you can expand your knowledge, become part of a community, learn something about yourself, and go find professional and personal success.

Find out if Cabrini University is a good college for you! Cabrini incorporates an emphasis on social advocacy in its curriculum, provides a welcoming, inclusive environment with programs that help transition students to college, and has generous financial aid packages. Visit cabrini.edu/aldia.