When choosing which college to attend, it's easy to get wrapped up in how much financial aid you'll get. However, it is important to realize that college is a larger part of your life than high school and there are plenty of other reasons to choose your dream school. At the end of the day, yes, money certainly matters–but here are 4 reasons to choose a school other than scholarship offers.

Academics 

Thinking about what you are planning to major in should be the first step in your recruiting process, for as much as athletics play a part in your eventual decision, you are also going to college to study academics as well. Some questions to ask about potential schools are: Are there highly rated professors? How is the workload for your major? How is the school within your college ranked, and is this something that affects your desire to go to the school? These are all things to consider as the academics could just as likely be your future after college as athletics. 

Related: 5 Reasons Grades are Important as an Athletic Recruit

Location

The place your university is located is a major factor in how your four years will turn out, as there are a lot of qualities to align your personality with. For instance, do you like warm or cold weather? Would you be okay if the temperature hit 100 degrees? What about zero? What if these weather conditions were for months at a time? Considering the weather of your location affects your practices and where you will play half of your games. 

Another factor is city versus hometown. UT Austin for example is in the middle of the city of Austin, Texas where a car is required to leave campus. University of Michigan on the other hand, is in Ann Arbor, a small college town with much more suburban vibes. Picture yourself in a city versus a suburb, and see which is more comfortable to you. 

Related: Rate your Coaches, Facilities, and Campus Visits

Size 

The size of the school can drastically affect your experience. Sizes of school can run up to 60,000 people or more, which can affect your class size, your relationship with your professors, and potentially the quality of your facilities and the size of the crowd you will be playing for. Ask yourself what the size of your high school is. Are you comfortable not knowing everyone in your class? Or would you thrive better in a smaller environment? 

People 

One of the most important qualities in a school is the people. This is who you are surrounding yourself with for some of the most transformative years in your life. So ask yourself, what type of people go here? Are they your crowd? Does campus have the diversity you're looking for?  What are your teammates and coaches like? The people you go to school and train with can make or break your college experience so choose wisely.

Finances oftentimes play a major role in where athletes decide to commit and that's okay–you need to pay for your education after all. But keep in mind that, as in all areas of life, there are some things money can't buy.
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* Originally published on November 16, 2022, by Ava Soodek