As humans, we don’t like not knowing what our next steps are and not having any control over the outcome of a situation that is important to us. Each year, waiting for university decisions is a time of ambiguity and can be anxiety inducing. Students put their best foot forward, and now the rest is out of their hands.
Part of my job as a university guidance counselor and educational advisor, is making sure the students I work with get as many offers as possible. Most times, students have a number of options to choose from. This is a great pay off for their hard work, nonetheless, often a difficult decision has to be made: which offer to choose?
These decisions may be between universities, or even between choosing different countries. The weight of the decision will also be different, as offers made by North American and many other universities tend to be unconditional, whereas British and European offers may be conditional, based on performance on final exams.
This adds an additional layer of uncertainty, because there is no guarantee the conditions will be met. I usually advise my students to be cautiously optimistic – have faith in the desired outcome, but have a backup plan ready as well. Therefore, the first factor in making a decision if the offer is conditional, is having a realistic assessment of the situation and if the conditions will be met. If the offer is unconditional, it is important to really listen to yourself and spend some time considering the final choice.
Assuming that the student has only applied to universities that meet their aspirations and that they can afford, the most important factor in making the decision is the FEELING. Which school is most exciting? Intuition is an underestimated tool, but will usually provide the right answer, if acknowledged. Therefore, this is one of the first pieces of advice I give students. They have already completed the intellectual analysis when applying, so now the choice should be based on what will make them the happiest.
Making decisions can be made easier by remembering the following considerations:
- Analyze the available information regarding program and further education opportunities, but also listen to intuition.
- Visit the campus – this allows to get a feel of the atmosphere and the type of people that attend the school.
- Consider the financial implications – there may be additional scholarships or discounts, students receive with their offer, that will have a substantial impact on the final price.
- Contemplate the entire experience – not just the academics, but also the diversity, location, vibe.
- Remember, no decision is set in stone – if worse comes to worse, transfer options are always an option.