Some questions to help you decide

The Freshman Survival Guide suggests that as you begin looking at colleges, you should ask yourself some key questions:

1. What do you hope happens to you/ for you in college?
- Go beyond the obvious (new friends, good education) and consider how you want to become through this experience (greater self understanding, beliefs, and experiences, etc...)

2. What are you most afraid of?
- This is a good reality check.  It helps you think through real world concerns.  This is a good discussion to have with your parents, because they have many fears about your future also.

3. What are your biggest weaknesses and strengths?
- Discuss those areas that you have had trouble with in the past - and what you have done to overcome these problems.  Also, where do you shine and how can this be part of your future experiences.

4.  Who will you call with problems or big life questions?
- College is hard and you should never try to go it alone.  Have a support network of people that you can trust and that will be frank with you about life.  This list should include people from your current life (friends, relatives, counselors, etc...) and possible people from your future life (campus pastors, counselors, Resident advisors, etc...).  

These may be difficult conversations, but it is better to have walked through the possibilities before you are faced with real world situations not knowing what to do.