Who should read this chapter? All parents who plan to send their children to college. This should ideally be all parents.

Summary: You should help your children select a college. This will be one of the most important decisions made in their young lives and you should help them with this. This chapter discusses the subtle factors that should be considered in selecting a college. This decision is too important to leave to your son or daughter to decide on their own. There should be some family input. Provide them with some suggestions and guidance (influence).

Paying for college and selecting a college should be considered together unless you are rich. If you are rich, then have your child attend the college that best meets your child's needs. For the rest of us who must plan on sending our children to college on a budget (large budget or small budget), the cost of the college must fit into this budget. Your children should not have the expectation of picking any college they want and expect mom and dad to pay for it all and approve it without question. There should be some family input, since decisions made by the first child going to college will significantly affect the family and the younger kids going to college later.

Generally, most high school graduates select a college for reasons that can often be characterized as self-centered, random, peer pressured, media influenced and often without a whole lot of thought at all. I remember when I was in high school, I recall trying to select a college to attend. I had very firm ideas about where I wanted to go, but today I realize that these were poor reasons to optimally select a college. My parents offered no suggestions in helping make this decision. I can still recall the thoughts of many of my friends as well. I'm going to go to University X because I don't know where I want to go (no good reason to make a decision). I want to go to University Z because I saw a great advertisement on this university in a magazine (which magazine was this?). I want to go to University Q because they have a good football team (this student did not major in football). I want to go to University S because I always wanted to go there ever since I was a kid (what would a kid know about college?). I want to go to University H because it's near Disneyland (duhhhh). I want to go to University G because I heard it's a really good school (who did they hear this from?).

It turns out that the student who went to University X became homesick after a week, returned home and began attending a community college. University Z is an expensive private school. If this student attends University Z, then his parents will not have enough money to send his two sisters to college. The student who wanted to go to University S didn't get accepted to this university and had submitted only one other application. The student who attended University H visited Disneyland 30 to 50 times while he was there and he no longer has fun when he goes to Disneyland. The student who attended University G put his parents through major financial stress. After returning from college, this student had loans amounting to $45,000 which he had to pay back. Imagine starting your working career with this type of debt to pay off.

The point here is that, most high school graduates are not able to make an optimal decision in selecting a college. There should be some family input into this decision. Parents should offer advice.

The following characteristics of a college should be considered:

1. Junior college versus community college versus full college/university

2. Large versus small school

3. Local versus out-of-town versus out-of-state

4. Private versus public

5. Colleges with big names

6. Using college transfers and summer sessions

Junior colleges are usually small schools with two-year college programs. Junior colleges may grant two-year college degrees called associate degrees (AD). To get a bachelor's (also called baccalaureate) degree in science (BS) or arts (BA) generally requires a four-year college program. One could attend a junior college for two years and then transfer to a four-year college to complete the next two years to get a bachelor's degree. Community colleges are usually the most inexpensive means of getting a college education. Community colleges are convenient because they are typically close to home and parking is often plentiful. Community colleges usually offer two-year AD diploma programs. Larger community colleges offer some four-year bachelor's degree diploma programs as well.

Colleges offer full four-year programs leading to bachelor degrees. Universities are large institutions composed of more than one college. The largest college within a university is usually the college of arts and sciences which encompasses departments such as English, history, math, sociology, economics, psychology, linguistics, political science, religion, philosophy, foreign language, art, drama, speech, chemistry, biology, physics, computer science, botany, zoology, etc. Specialty colleges within a university include engineering, business, health (medicine, nursing, dentistry), law, agriculture, education, etc. Some colleges and all universities have graduate programs leading to masters and doctoral (e.g., Ph.D.) degrees. Graduate students (students who already have bachelor degrees and are pursuing masters or doctoral degrees) are often employed by the university to teach undergraduate students (students in bachelor degree programs) in smaller lab classes to supplement the professor's lectures. This gives graduate students income opportunity to help pay their tuition expenses and an opportunity to teach.

Some students plan on attending college for only two years or four years. Others plan on going to graduate school to get a master's degree, a Ph.D. degree or other advanced professional degrees such as M.D. (physician), D.D.S. (dentist), J.D. (lawyer), etc. Help students plan their resources accordingly. A student planning on attending college for 10 years needs to be more careful in making decisions that affect their college budget. I have some physician friends who borrowed money to go to college and are in debt for as much as $100,000 when they finally complete their medical training and are ready to begin their medical practices.

Small colleges offer the advantage of smaller classes, more individualized attention and a closely knit student body. Faculty tend to know students better at a small college. Small colleges may have a student body size in the neighborhood of 2000 while large universities have student body sizes of about 20,000 or more. Large universities offer many advantages. The course offerings are very broad. Faculty come from a wide area of specialization and expertise. High level research is ongoing by many faculty professors. Specialty schools such as engineering, medicine, law, education, business, nursing, dentistry, etc., are present on campus in addition to the standard college of arts and sciences, to expose undergraduate college students to their curriculum and course offerings. Advanced degree programs (master's, professional and Ph.D. degree programs) are available in many subject areas. Intercollegiate sports in most major sports are played at a highly competitive level, usually in a major college athletic conference with television exposure. Large alumni associations support the university and college athletics.

A single student will tend to lose identity among a large student body. Registration for courses presents greater variety at a large university, but students must compete for limited availability of these courses with the larger student body. Walking between classes on a large campus may be take 10 to 30 minutes, so for this reason, bicycles are popular on large campuses. There is heavy bicycle and moped traffic on campus. Bicycle and moped permits are often required to restrict bicycle and moped congestion. Parking is usually more difficult on a large university campus.

In comparing small and large colleges, the advantages and disadvantages must be considered. The degree of individual attention given to students is the most common reason why some students prefer small colleges. I think that the advantages offered by large universities outweigh their disadvantages. Individual attention to students can be obtained at large universities. Some classes are small even at large universities. For example, English literature and foreign language classes tend to be small because they require frequent interaction with the instructor. Advanced courses in most subject areas tend to have small class sizes because these courses are not required and only a few students are interested in taking them; for example, advanced calculus, biochemistry, nuclear physics, international finance. Large courses tend to be introductory college level courses such as economics, biology, psychology, history, accounting, etc. Most students do not need individual attention for these courses, but it is available if a student takes the initiative. Graduate teaching assistants and professors all have weekly office hours to meet with students or groups of students. Meeting times can also be scheduled by appointment. Students who express special interest in research may be given the opportunity to assist in research projects depending on the complexity of the project and other factors. Often professors are looking for students to help them with projects.

My personal preference favors the large university. In my view, the advantages and benefits of a large university outweigh the disadvantages. This decision should be individualized and subject to personal preference.

Going away for college is a ritual of life for many students. After living at home with their parents for the first 18 years of their lives, college bound students are anxious to leave home to experience life on their own. Most students experience some degree of home sickness when they first get settled into a dormitory. One of the loneliest experiences is to go to a crowded dorm cafeteria by yourself. It is very difficult to go to the cafeteria to eat on your own if you don't know anyone else there. If an open table is not available, you will have to intrude onto someone else's table. These negative experiences of getting settled can best be avoided if your son or daughter can attend college with one or more friends. At this age, freedom and independence from parents is desired, but they still need friends.

After the stress of settling in has passed, new friends are made and their college experience begins. Parents often want their children to leave home for college. It's a sign of prestige that their child attends a prestigious university in a state far away. It's a sign of freedom that many parents look forward to; the day when their children leave home. Perhaps these are good things, but consider that the family is the entity that should receive top priority. Family prestige versus family unity. Both are possible, but when college students leave home for a college far away, this increases the likelihood that they will permanently settle far from home. This is the tradeoff for prestige.

I know of many parents who celebrate the day that their children leave home for college. It's as if they finally got rid of them from the house. "I thought I would never get him/her out of this house", is a common comment made by such parents. College students might think they know everything, but their level of wisdom is still immature. When we encourage our kids to "go away" for college, we cut loose nearly all parental influence at this point. Perhaps this idea of going away for college should be reconsidered? Is this really a good idea or is there something that's missing here?

Are there any advantages for attending college close to home? It is often assumed that one has to leave town to go to college, but the advantages of attending college near home are often underestimated. Going to a college near home is very convenient. The surrounding streets and community are familiar. Parents continue to provide home cooked meals, housing, transportation and laundry service. Tuition is a major financial stress for most families, and tuition at local colleges and universities are generally lower than out of state institutions.

Leaving home can be quite an experience for young adults leaving home for college. Many things that youngsters have taken for granted all their lives are suddenly gone. Teenagers want independence, but college students often discover that they only want some aspects of independence. For example, they want to come and go as they please, but they don't like doing their own laundry. They want to live in an apartment, but they don't like cleaning it up. They want to spend their money as they please, as long as mom and dad continue to fund them. They want to drive their own car as long as mom and dad continue to pay for their insurance and oil changes. Leaving home for awhile is a good learning experience. It makes one appreciate friends, family and home much more.

Some parents miss their children, while others wish their children would leave home. College decisions might affect these outcomes. It is very likely that young adults going to college will meet their future spouses in college. Those who attend college near home are more likely to meet up with a spouse from an area close to home. The couple will most likely settle in an area close to home and raise their family there. Now isn't this wonderful because parents will now become grandparents with the grandchildren nearby, so grandparents can spoil them. Grandparents can easily help take care of the children when parents are working or need a break.

Those who attend college in a distant city are more likely to meet up with a spouse from a distant city. They are more likely to settle in a distant city. Their children (your grandchildren) will be raised far from you. You won't be able to see them much. For example, if the grandchildren live in Chicago, but you live in Seattle, its not exactly a short drive to grandma's house. Baby sitting will have to be done by strangers instead of by grandparents. Grandchildren are precious so it would be unfortunate if they were far away. This is a big country and unfortunately, this can cause families to drift apart.

The dispersion of families around the country does not benefit family unity, but there are other benefits. It mixes our cultures and spreads knowledge and expertise from one part of the country to another. I find that new families from out of town are some of the most interesting people around. They are often well traveled and have interesting stories and experiences to share. Even considering this benefit, I would still prefer my children to settle nearby so I can experience grandparenthood as often as possible.

Private versus public (state supported) colleges is not so much a matter of big versus small or good versus bad. Private colleges are more expensive than public colleges. Private colleges tend to have better facilities, often due to a more active and generous alumni association (which means that when you graduate, you will be expected to join the alumni association and donate money too), but this is not necessarily so. Students of wealthy families are more likely to attend a private college. If your child is fortunate enough to receive a full tuition scholarship from a private institution, you should strongly consider taking it since this will be more valuable (from a dollar standpoint, not necessarily an educational one), than a full tuition scholarship from a public college.

In reality though, the difference between state supported (public) colleges and private colleges has little to do with the source of their funding, but rather more to do with the overall quality of the colleges being considered individually.

The name of the college might be more important than whether the college is public or private. For example, consider the following names: UCLA, University of Michigan, Florida State, University of Texas, Ohio State, Arizona State, University of Wisconsin, Penn State, and University of Washington. These are some well known state supported universities. Now consider these other names: Stanford, Tulane, Pepperdine, Baylor, Loyola, Notre Dame, Brigham Young and Yale. These are some well known private universities.

If you were an employer looking to hire a college graduate, would the applicant's college make a difference? Consider three applicant's: a graduate from Duke University, a graduate from the University of Iowa, and a graduate from Lakeside Northwest Inland College (a fictitious name used to represent a smaller college which is not well known). Without knowing anything else about the applicants, which applicant is least likely to be selected? The Lakeside graduate is at a disadvantage because the employer has never heard of this college. Perhaps this is a really good school or perhaps it isn't. The point here is that the employer doesn't know much about this school. It is almost certain that the employer has heard of Duke and Iowa. The employer could look at the college transcript records of each of the applicants, but this takes time and it is possible that the Lakeside graduate may have been removed from consideration entirely so that his transcript will not even be reviewed by the employer.

The name of the college is important, but sometimes it is more important than others. Consider the names of schools such as Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Berkeley (University of California). Schools such as these have outstanding reputations. The decision of which college to attend depends on a complex interaction between factors such as quality, reputation, location, affordability, etc.

Don't let parental ego's cloud your ability to make a good decision. Some families have sent their oldest child to the best college possible. Their parents were very proud to know that their child would be attending such a good school. Unfortunately, they could barely afford the tuition and expenses there. Their younger children were forced to attend a local community college and some of them had no money for any type of college education. This is unfortunate when parental pride in their first child attending college has harmed the college potential for their younger children. Budget your college options spread out among all your children.

While it is convenient and less costly to attend college near home, the experience of travel and getting away from home enhances one's maturity, growth, development and worldliness. Is there a way to achieve both? Yes there is. There are many possible combinations, but let me start with an example. Let's say you live near Kansas State University (KSU) and you would like to major in computer science. In your freshman year, attend KSU. During the spring, explore the possibility of attending a summer session at another university. Perhaps you and a few friends could take introductory accounting and psychology at the University of Hawaii during the summer. This gives you the opportunity to travel, have a great time with friends and reap the benefit of the living away from home experience. Summer session courses are generally accelerated and brief so only two courses can be reasonably completed during the summer session. Because of the limited number of courses, tuition (based on the number of credit hours) is affordable. While most people visiting Hawaii stay in expensive hotels, students attending the summer session can stay in inexpensive dormitories. What a way to see Hawaii !! It's almost better than a vacation.

In September, return to KSU for a full load of courses in the fall and spring. The course credits from the summer session at the University of Hawaii should transfer to KSU. Most credits obtained in introductory type college courses will generally be transferable between universities. Check with your college to determine the specifics of transferring credits between colleges. Next summer, plan with friends and consider attending the summer session at a different university such as Washington State, University of Alaska, University of Maryland, Rice University, etc. .

This method gives college students the best of both worlds. There is the convenience and lower cost of attending college close to home and the benefits of attending college away from home. In fact, this method provides a wider variety of travel experiences than attending an out of town college year round.

Another option is to explore the possibility of transferring to another college after the first one or two years. Let's say for example, you live in a small city in Texas. You really want to attend the University of Texas but you can't quite afford the tuition, travel and living expenses. There is a community college nearby where the tuition is much lower than at the University of Texas. You might be able to take some required courses at the community college for the first one or two years. Check with the university that you would like to attend. You may find that you can transfer to the University of Texas after two years, then attend the University of Texas for another two years. If everything works out right, you will have your four year bachelor's degree from the University of Texas. You will have saved on tuition, travel and living expenses.

You might be able to transfer to an out of state university as well. You may be able to attend the first year of college at a university near your home, then transfer to an out of state university to complete a degree program. Many students are uncertain about where they would like to attend college. In such instances, it may be best to attend their first year at a local university. Once they become accustomed to college studies, they may have a better idea of where they would like to complete their college studies. This can ease the stress of the college transition by more gradually introducing students to college course work, then the stress of living away from home, in steps, rather than all at once.

Many universities participate in student exchange programs where course credits freely transfer from one college to another. This permits a student to attend classes at a different college for a year. After this year, the student has the option of returning to their original university (transferring all the credits back) or continuing a degree program at the second university and eventually graduating from that university.

My preferences are as follows:

1. I generally prefer state supported (public) universities since tuition is substantially lower than at private universities.

2. I generally prefer the larger universities (over smaller colleges) because there is a greater variety of study programs and a larger opportunity for postgraduate studies. A university with a "big name" will give you a competitive advantage in the job market.

3. If you are considering a private college where the tuition is high, you should only do this if the school's name and reputation will give you a competitive advantage (in other words, a big name school such as Harvard) or the school somehow meets a specific unusual need that you may have. Additionally, you must be able to afford it.

4. Consider the advantages of attending college closer to home. Use summer college sessions and student exchange programs to get the "away from home experience" with less expense and without some of the inconveniences of attending college far from home.

5. If you prefer to attend an out of state university, it may be preferable to pick one in a closer state rather than one in a state very far away. The distance between New Jersey and Pennsylvania is much less than the difference between New Jersey and California.

6. Attend a college that you can afford. While college is very important, it isn't worth family destruction. It may be detrimental to send your child to an expensive college if you have to work three jobs to pay for it. Working too hard results in added stress and no time spent with your family. Generally, most Americans have access to a nearby high quality affordable college or university. The American system of higher education gives us many options for college.

7. Any college education is better than no college education. Save for a college tuition now. Start convincing your children now, that they will be going to college.