Red and green arrow signs on pole pointing opposite directions saying choice

Our Best Advice on Making Your Final College Decision

Having trouble deciding where to spend the next four years? Here are our top articles on how to make your final college decision, all in one place.

May 1 is National Decision Day, which is typically the last day for students to send in their deposits and declare their final college choice. While maintaing an official decision day is waning in significance as more and more schools are allowing a flexible deadline, it's still a great day to acknowledge all the hard work you've done and the big decision you're soon to make. A lot of work has brought you to this point. You've searched for colleges, researched them meticulously, applied to the ones on your list, and now you’ve received perhaps multiple offers of admission. You’re almost there—the last step is just figuring out where you want to go in the fall. We know this is a huge decision. You might be wondering just what you should do. But we’ve got your back, just like we did during every other step of your college search! This is our best advice on how to make your final college decision, all in one easy-to-access place. 

Making your final college choice

Considering important college factors

Keeping financial aid in mind

Making the best decision for you

Dealing with the unexpected

Remember, once you make your final college decision, you’ll have to let all the other colleges you were accepted to know that you won’t be enrolling. Learn best practices of Telling Other Schools About Your College Decision from an admission expert!

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Sierra Carranza

Sierra Carranza

High School Class of 2022

I had absolutely no idea where I wanted to go to school; I was considering colleges in almost every state. CollegeXpress was an amazing resource and helped me compare all of my top schools. Without the help of CollegeXpress, I probably wouldn't have made such an informed and confident decision.

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Mataya Mann

High School Class of 2022

To say that CollegeXpress is a helpful tool would be an understatement as it is much more than that. Before finding CollegeXpress, all I knew was that I wanted to go to college, it was going to be insanely expensive, and I felt lost. CollegeXpress has given me access to resources such as helpful tips for applications and scholarship [opportunities], and helped guide me in a direction where I feel confident moving forward and pursuing a career. CollegeXpress has helped instill a spark in me that makes me want to continue and supports me in doing so.

Monica

Monica

High School Class of 2023

Being a sophomore in high school, I never really worried about college. I thought it wasn't important to worry about until senior year. Through this program opportunity I came across, I realized how important it is to start looking at colleges early and start planning ahead. CollegeXpress has opened my eyes to what colleges require, what colleges are near me, and what they offer. The daily emails I get from CollegeXpress really help me look at the different options I have and what colleges I fit into. Without this website, I would not be taking the time out of my day to worry about what my future will be nor what opportunities I have. I could not be more grateful for such an amazing and useful website. It's thanks to CollegeXpress that not only me but my family now know how much potential I have in to getting into these colleges/universities that we thought were out of my reach.

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Kory Gilbertson

High School Class of 2022

CollegeXpress has helped me explore my views on college in that "why do I wanna go to a certain school" way. It’s helped me explore the best fits in all of these outstanding choices. All these college admission counselors can access my accolades showing them how I could help their college. This source of information helps me show these admission directors who I am and what I'm interested in. Thanks to this platform, my experience for education will be better than most, and I'm so grateful for all that it has provided for me.

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