"The U.S. Census Bureau says that 18 million students have enrolled in college for the 2007-2008 school year. This marks a healthy increase from twenty years ago when only 12.8 million students were registered for college. Thinking about joining the swelling ranks of college students? Before blowing hundreds of dollars on application fees, reflect first on your career goals, your personality type, and your learning style. Next, compile a list of criteria to help you discover colleges that serve your unique needs. Here are five of the most important factors to consider when evaluating colleges, from small vocational schools to large public universities.

1. Quality of Life
The meaning of ""quality of life"" varies from student to student. While some people might seek out colleges with lovely campuses and delicious food, others may prioritize institutions with renowned research facilities, gay-friendly communities, or high safety ratings. Even prominent journals and magazines evaluate colleges' quality of life differently. For instance, U.S. News relies on graduation rates, retention percentages, and peer assessment ratings, while The Princeton Review uses students' feedback on dorm quality, food service, and emotional well-being. Colleges offering high quality of life include:

* Macalaster College: Not only does Macalaster top the Princeton Review's rankings for acceptance of gay communities, Macalaster boasts a great location in Saint Paul, Minnesota, good food, and a politically active campus.
* Princeton University: Besides its stellar academic reputation, Princeton has a beautiful campus, happy students, and a well-stocked library.
* Bowdoin College: Tucked away in the coastal town of Brunswick, Maine, Bowdoin provides students with excellent dining, red-carpet administration services, and dorms with all the fixings.
* Virginia Tech: Virginia Tech occupies the Princeton Review's number one position for best campus food, and also hosts extremely popular college sports teams.
* West Virginia University: If you plan to socialize heavily during college, look no further than West Virginia University--WVU is the top party school in America.

2. Academic Reputation
Schools with highly touted overall academic reputations include:

* Princeton University
* Yale University
* Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
* Harvard University
* Swarthmore College
* Williams College
* Middlebury College
* Pomona College

When it comes to a school's academic position, consider the both the overall prestige of the college and the quality of your chosen department. For example, if you plan to study entrepreneurship during your undergrad years, check out USC or the University of Arizona's top-ranked programs. On the other hand, if you wish to earn a Master's in Fine Arts (MFA) degree in creative writing, you might choose the University of Iowa's Writer's Workshop or the University of Houston's creative writing program.

3. Diversity
New technology has made the world a smaller place. America's globalizing economy makes it increasingly important for college students to learn to relate to people who speak different languages, hold dissimilar value systems, and practice varied customs. Some of the most diverse colleges are:

* Wesleyan College (Georgia): Although Wesleyan only has 600 total students, more than 30 different countries are represented in the school's student body.
* University of Maryland-Baltimore County: At UMBC, minorities compose around one-third of the student population.
* Mount Holyoke College: Located in South Hadley, Massachusetts, Mount Holyoke attracts highly motivated female scholars from all over the world--approximately 75% of the student-body comes from outside of Massachusetts.
* Temple University: Sitting atop the Princeton Review list of most diverse schools, Temple University draws students from 50 states and 130 foreign countries.

4. Affordability
It is a commonly thought that the high tuition costs of liberal arts colleges plunge students into life-long debt. This is simply not true. According to U.S. News, many colleges with hefty price tags offer generous financial aid packages to their students. Here are some of the most charitable liberal-arts colleges:

* Williams College: The average student at Williams receives a yearly financial aid package of $32,979, most of which is awarded in grants.
* Smith College: Nearly 50% of Smith students garner financial aid, and 7% of students receive merit-based awards.
* Amherst College: Amherst students collect a mean annual financial aid award of $32,041.
* Berea College: Berea prides itself in providing 100% of its accepted students with some form of financial aid.

Even though many private liberal arts colleges give out impressive funding, public universities frequently present more affordable options for budget-conscious students. The least expensive public universities include:

* University of North Carolina-Asheville
* Texas A&M University
* University of Central Florida
* University of Nevada-Las Vegas
* University of Nevada-Reno
* San Diego State University
* University of Florida

5. Location
When searching for the right area to attend college, ask yourself the following questions:

* What subject do you plan on studying? If you are interested in forestry or marine biology, you probably shouldn't study in a busy, land-locked city. If you plan on studying fashion design, seek out colleges in fashion centers like Los Angeles and New York.
* How healthy is the local economy? This may be especially important if you plan on supplementing your studies with a job or if you want to find a long-term career right after graduation.
* What about living expenses? If you wish to attend school in an expensive city, high rents can quickly sap your college funds. Also, out-of-state tuition is usually costlier than in-state tuition. On the other hand, if you already live in a pricy area such as New York City, it may prove cheaper to attend school in another state.
* What living environment best fits your learning style and social needs? This differs for everyone. While some people prefer the hustle and bustle of cities, others function better in peaceful rural areas.

When you have finally narrowed your college choices down to a small pool, it's time to personally visit your top prospects. Speaking with faculty members and current students face-to-face can help you make a well-informed final selection."



Kelli Smith is the senior editor of www.Edu411.org. Edu411.org is a career education directory of colleges and universities, career training schools, and technical institutes.