So I picked where I am going to go to college, and I’m very happy with my decision. However, I surprised myself by not picking my top school on my list. I ended up doing a recruit overnight for lacrosse with the team at my second choice school and I loved it!

Meeting the team, coach, and going to a class made it so much more real to me. After the overnight I was so confused and knew I had a tough decision to make. So right away I e-mailed the lacrosse coach from my top choice and asked if I could do an official visit there as well. We got everything set up, but then I saw my numbers in aid from my second choice school. Right then and there, my top choice became no choice.

You might wonder how I made such a flip in my decision, this is how…

 Top Choice all along…
- around $30,000 a year
- still haven’t gotten my official financial aid award letter
- public school (so all I am getting would be basic financial aid – no additional scholarships!)
- further from home : )
- great academically – loved their business program

2nd Choice (where I will be going!)…
- about $40,000 a year
- private school
- $15,000 Presidential scholarship (each year)
- athletic scholarship (increases each year)
- the same type of financial aid the Top Choice had offered me
- closer to home : (
- great academically – loved their business program

As you can see the reason I loved my top choice was because it was further from home and I wanted the experience away from home. However, I knew the most realistic decision for me (because of sports and finances) was to choose what I had thought was my fall back choice; and I have no regrets thus far!

My best advice for athletes or anyone, who is having trouble deciding on a school: make that last tour that you do as personal and as real as you can. Whether it’s doing an overnight or attending some classes. It will turn your view of everything you HAD thought, into something completely different.

Happy with my choice!
Lauryn