Brochures are a way to give students options of seeing the variety of colleges. Photo by Brandon Heims

By Brandon Heims

College is one thing in life that most teenagers expect to experience and with that, they would want a helpful and great environment to build their future.

While some may not even know what they want to do in their life until college’s first year; others have been planning since their first year of high school or even sooner. Sophomore Gianella Cerriteno is one, who does not waste a second as she said she has been planning since the fifth grade. Freshman Brandon Zehner, Sophomore Alexis Dean and Junior Maicee Evans are three who have not even started planning their future, but that does not mean they do not have thoughts about it.

Some students probably do not know if they will even go to college, but when looking at colleges, they have certain areas that they look at first. Sophomore Morgan Hite has many areas to look at, which narrows down her options. “I try to go for, how many are accepted majors and how much it costs per year.” She said, “I want to go to Southern California University for Music, or a cooking school.” Sophomore Alissa Ulrich said, “I haven’t really looked in to any college, but I’ve been to IU Bloomington and I really liked it.” All Zehner had to say is he observes the type of dorms and majors that a college offers, along with the price that comes along with it. As like Hite and Zehner, Sophomore April Bowen also searches for majors that a college offers. “I definitely want to be where I can get the proper education to start out my life.” Bowen said. Dean agrees as to look at majors, but she also looks at location because she still wants to be close to her hometown. “I want to go somewhere cheap so that way I don’t live my life paying off my college debt. I’d rather make money and be able to do with it what I will besides paying bills.” Evans said.

Students have one other decision to make, which is going to a college out of state or staying in-state. As four agree to leaving their home of Indiana, the other three would have to pass and stay. Hite, Zehner, Bowen and Cerriteno, all would like to go to a college outside of the state of Indiana. They all would agree to explore and they want to discover new places and meet unfamiliar faces. On the other hand, Evans, Dean and Ulrich would disagree and believe that staying in state is best in the long run. To some, money is the reason for having to stay in Indiana or not even ‘having to’; it may just be their decision. “[Stay] in state [because it is] cheaper,” Evans said. Ulrich agrees, but for a different reason, “I have to stay in Indiana, due to my scholarship.” To others, it may be other reasons of why they have to or want to stay in-state. “I would like to possibly stay in the state because I wanna be close to my family, since we are all so close I don’t think that I could move to another state for college.” Dean said.

Parents may be a factor in where a student will go for college. While six out of the seven say that their parents do not have much of a say in their decision of college, Zehner says that his parents do have an authority of where he goes. Hite just said as long as her mother supports her, then she is fine. Ulrich said, “My mom says it’s my choice [of] what college I want to go to.” Bowen and Cerriteno said that they just need to be independent. “They [parents] want me to go to an in-state college, but I know I need to be independent and live my own life,” Bowen said.  Dean’s said, “They [parents] both just want me to go to college I don’t think they really care which one I go to.”

In or out state, coed or single-sex dorms, English or business major, cheap or expensive and the thought of the parents, all being factors that vary a student’s decision. College is a milestone in life, so a person should make it special for him or her; having it the best they can get it.

A diploma is a symbol of how much hard work and success a person can bring to his or herself. Photo by: Brandon Heims