Great Options!

You've been accepted at two solid schools. Great! Or, you've been offered admission to an OK school with a significant scholarship and your #1 choice with no financial aid. Or, you've been admitted to a top-tier program, but you really wanted to go to Harvard. You should be celebrating, but instead you're worrying.

What do you do now? What criteria do you use in making your decision?

Well, stop biting your nails. Here are the factors that should guide you:

Factor #1: Which institution best supports your future goals and most likely career path? This criterion is paramount when you have clear, well-defined goals, for instance, "I want to run an IT consultancy serving financial services firms." If financial aid is an issue, calculate whether the full tuition program will increase your earning power by more than the amount of the scholarship or whether your preference for the more expensive school is worth the difference in cost.

Factor #2: Which educational approach do you prefer? For college applicants and grad school students with more general goals, i.e. "I want to be a doctor" this criterion plays a more significant role.

Factor #3: Where would you rather live for X years? Do you want to live in a big city or small college town? What region do you want to live in? Do you prefer a big university or a small college? Urban or rural? Religious or secular? Liberal or conservative?

Enjoy your great options and use these criteria to guide you as you make your decision.

This post is an excerpt from the instantly downloadable ebook,  Submit a Stellar Application: 42 Terrific Tips to Help You Get Accepted.