Have you ever looked at something and wondered if other people in your grade are looking at the same thing? College. It’s on everybody’s mind and we are all curious whether people get in or not. The seniors of Leonardtown High School are waist-deep in college applications and some are already involved in early decision. They are all considering what to major in, what location they prefer, who’s going to be there, and overall what they want to be doing later in life.

A good way to get to know some colleges is checking out their website and reading their statistics. A good sourse for safety statistics is www.securityoncampus.com. It is a very informational website if you want to learn about a college’s security on campus, grant funding, and crime statistics. Another good source is http://measuringup.higher
education.org/default.cfm. This website will allow you to compare colleges and get more statistics on that college.

Some students have visited numerous colleges, but the decision is still difficult. The other component to keep in mind is money. Colleges have special aid programs that will lend loans to students that need that financial help. Senior Mike Woodson backs up the idea by saying, “I support financial aid. It is a great idea and I hope everyone who can get it, gets it.” However, the students have to pay it off during their lifetime. Some students don’t plan on going to college because they can’t afford it or have something else in mind that they deem more important. You could also get a scholarship from the college in which they help pay off some of the tuition, or you could get a grant. Another option to consider is community college, which is much less expensive than a traditional four-year university.

College gives you great knowledge, freedom, and overall freedom. Senior Nate Gelfand says, “I’m looking at Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach. Then I want to get my double major in Political Science and Film Production.” Other seniors are not sure where they want to go, which is totally okay. So whether you are looking to go into college or not, college is definitely a beneficial thing to consider.