My Big Decision

My Big Decision

In the winter of 2008, I was faced with a very challenging decision. I had received acceptances to all five of the top universities in the nation that I applied to for my postsecondary education. This was the biggest decision that I had ever had to make in my life up until this point and I could not take it lightly. I had a lot to consider and there were multiple steps in the process that led to me deciding on the university where I would spend the next four years.

Steps in the Decision Making Process

1. Make a list of my priorities of what I wanted and expected from a college and the education it offered.

2. Determine which priorities fell under which school that I had been accepted to.

3. Make a pro-con list of attending each school.

4. Evaluate the financial aid package offered to me by each school.

5. Rank the schools according to which one most closely matched my priorities.

6. Obtain input and advice from family and friends close to me that would be looking out for my best interests.

7. Decide which school I would accept the offer of admittance.

8. Submit the necessary paperwork to secure my place in the Fall 2009 class.

Unexpected Consequences

I ultimately chose to decline offers from Auburn, Coastal Carolina, Indiana, and the University of Florida to attend The Ohio State University. When I made this decision, I was not aware that there would be consequences I did not foresee when making my decision. Those consequences were both good and bad. One of the bad consequences I experienced was that I lost touch with many of my friends from high school since I moved 1,100 miles away for school. Another bad consequence was that I did not get to see my family very much since they also lived very far away. I also experienced good consequences that resulted from my decision. I made new friends quickly and easily and they have served as pillars of strength for me in times when I have needed them. I also reconnected with some of my distant family members and was able to grow those relationships and make them stronger.

What Could I Have Done Differently?

Looking back at my decision process, I could have done a few things differently when trying to decide where to go school.

1. Reorganized my priorities to reflect what was most important to me.

2. Strategized to figure out how I would make more time for my family back in Florida.

3. Engaged