Should I choose a school based upon preference or financial needs?

I'd say look in to the reviews that college has for your degree there are several school that are know for certain fields of study that could help in expanding your "dream" school. Thinking of finances I'd say look into scholarships for your desired major and start applying, apply to as many scholarships as possible. to help take stress off of worrying about money. There are a lot of ways to pay and finance college you just have to be creative.

You should choose a school on both your preferences and financial needs. I attended a school that was outside my budget but I wouldn't change that experience for the world, it was my dream school and I’m so happy I get to say I graduated from there. BUT, it wasn’t my dream school during high school I had to look at my preferences and see what I really wanted from a school to realize that this was the best fit for me. It was out of my budget but something I was able to work out.

If you have your heart set on a school but you just can’t afford all four years, look into attending a junior college first then transferring out to your Dream school. Some schools have fast track programs to get you into four year universities as well.

<span style="background-color: transparent;">Collegeboard.org is a great resource for this! I poured through the pages of universities all over the U.S. when I was a senior in high school. Collegeboard was my go-to site! They put all of the information in one place and it is very easy to use. They even have various filters you can apply to see only colleges that have programs you are interested. To determine academic rigor, look at the admissions requirements, G.P.A. of past admitted applicants, SAT/ACT scores, class rank etc. This will give you an idea of what scores and grades you need to be accepted. However, don't be discouraged your application will be reviewed based on the full picture! College-board will help you get an idea of what is most important to the specific school you are applying to.</span>

This professional recommends the following next steps:

• <span style="background-color: transparent;">Chat with your Guidance Counselor</span>
• <span style="background-color: transparent;">Create a Collegeboard.org account</span>
• <span style="background-color: transparent;">Start using CollegeBoard as a resource to look up schools.</span>

Hi Kim,

I don't encourage anyone to get into debt to go to college. I recommend ranking the programs and then also ranking by affordability. Find the balance, keeping in mind that a solid Computer Science undergraduate degree can be obtained from many institutions. If finances are a concern, consider obtaining an AA degree first and transferring into a 4 year institution. There are so many pathways you can take that would accomplish your goals without breaking the bank.

Definitely apply to scholarships like it is your full time job! I know one young lady who took a year off between high school and college and did just that. She was able to raise enough money to pay for 4 years of education via scholarships and essay contests.

Best of luck!

Collette