We all have made choices for the wrong reasons, but one decision that should never be taken lightly is college choice.

College is a privilege, and students often mess up that life-changing opportunity when they decide to go to a school for the wrong reason.

Our lives are filled with making choices every day: hot water or cold water; coffee or tea; Frosted Flakes or Captain Crunch. These are small decisions that we make daily and often we’re not even conscious of making them. Unfortunately, some students use that same carelessness in choosing where they go to college.

How can someone spend hours deciding what to wear, where they want to eat, what vacations to take but then be passive about their education? Talk about your priorities being out of order!

There are many things that students base their college decisions on and one of those should include ratings. A school’s ratings are one of the top factors that students take into consideration when choosing a school.

But what do ratings really mean? Good housing? Good food? Nice students? Nice professors? Ratings can be misleading. When students make their choices based off a number they may end up leaving their school after the first semester.

Another way students make their decision is based off the size of the school. Students feel that moving to a big school will make them happier when in fact it could possibly make them feel lonely and left out.

On the other hand, a small school doesn’t necessarily promise fulfillment either. Some think that going to a smaller school will make them feel more comfortable, but when they get there the people may not be what they expected.

The next way that students make their decision is a classic: “My best friends are going there.” You think that following your friends to college will help you get ahead? If you do, beware. Following your friends to college could actually hold you back and keep you from expanding your social life.

Also, the school that your friend is going to may not have a good quality program for your major and then you will begin settling for a mediocre education. Stop following the life of your friend and focus on your own.

One more reason that students decide to go to college is because it’s close to home. While it’s a great convenience to go to a school that’s right around the corner from home, that should not be a reason for going there.

By going to a school that is close to home, there is a great chance that you will begin relying on your parents more. Your college experience is not only about your education, but it is also about growing up and developing your own independence. Unless it is the school of your dreams, don’t choose it based on how close it is to home.

Making the wrong decision on what college to go to can all be avoided by doing your homework. Be sure you do thorough research on the school you want to attend and, most importantly, be sure that you make a personal visit. In doing this you will be assured that the choice you’re making is the right one.