With early action and early decision college deadlines approaching, many seniors are considering the next steps in their education. Most early action or decision deadlines fall in early to mid-November, while regular deadlines are due in January or February. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, has a deadline of June 30. For those planning to attend college, there are many factors to take into consideration when deciding what schools to apply to. Funding, location and majors are all important elements to keep in mind when deciding where to go. As deadlines approach and students juggle schoolwork and applications, uncertainty over federal student loan caps may affect final decisions for some.
Funding college is one of the prominent concerns for seniors. According to the Big Beautiful Bill Act, there will be federal student loan caps taking effect that total $257,500 for a lifetime as of July 1. The Big Beautiful Bill is a federal statute that includes changes to federal taxes, deductions and spending policies. This lifetime cap excludes Parent PLUS loans, which have their own limit of $65,000 per student. This change could limit opportunities for students from lower-income households. Many students are looking for affordable colleges and scholarships. Scholarship applications are emailed to students by the guidance office but can also be found easily online.
“I decided on which colleges to apply to based on which ones are affordable to me as well as nearby,” said Dominic Severin (12).
Tuition costs play a major role in deciding which college to attend, but a college’s campus can impact many students. The quality of a learning environment can greatly influence the quality of education. Some colleges have large campuses with many social events, while others have small campuses with tight-knit communities. Most large campuses are public and state-funded, offering lower tuition. Private colleges, which typically have smaller campuses, can be more expensive as they are not state-funded but often award larger scholarships.
“I asked myself if I could see myself going there. Touring schools helped me decide which to apply to in the application process,” Mackenzie Mohrbacher (12) said.
Student-teacher ratio is another factor seniors are considering. The small ratio at Freedom offers a more personal learning environment compared to big colleges like Penn State or the University of Pittsburgh. Larger ratios lead to less flexibility in schedules for teachers and less time with students individually. This can depersonalize a learning environment and make learning more difficult.
“Teacher student ratio was important to me because I like having small class sizes as I feel like I can learn better; I also want to get to know my teachers and who will be teaching me,” Mohrbacher said.
Fields of study that colleges offer matter the most to some students. Colleges can vary in the majors and programs available; for example, some are better engineering schools, while others specialize in medicine.
“I looked at colleges that would benefit me in getting into veterinarian school,” Janna Kline (12) said.
As seniors continue balancing their future and present, they find that their goals and priorities guide them in making decisions for the next step of education and their lives.