MEFA is an organization dedicated to helping families plan, save, and pay for college. And, when May 1st comes around each year, we know that families with high school seniors are making important decisions: where to attend college next year. May 1st is the enrollment deadline that most colleges use. So for students who are headed to a two- or four-year college or university in the fall, this “Decision Day” is momentous.
To celebrate this day, we asked members of our MEFA team how they made their own college decisions. You’ll find diverse and interesting stories below, including the unique roadmaps of college careers and the all-important college affordability considerations.
How did you make your college decision?
A.J., Northeastern University
“I chose Northeastern University based on their excellent co-op program, which provides real-world experiences to students, and because it was a commuter school, so I was able to save some money commuting to school instead of having dorm expenses. And having freshman year tuition waived was definitely a plus.”
Andrea, Bowdoin College
“I’m a first-generation immigrant from Mexico. While I was applying to colleges, I didn’t have the chance to visit any of them, so it wasn’t until acceptance letters started arriving that campuses began to feel real. Along with those acceptances came invitations to admitted-student programs, many designed specifically for first-generation students. Several of these visits were fully funded, giving me the opportunity to travel, stay on campus, and experience each school beyond brochures and websites. These trips were a turning point in my decision process. I met other admitted students from across the country—many of them also first-generation and Latinx—and for the first time, I could truly imagine myself in these spaces. It was Bowdoin’s campus in Brunswick, Maine that really made an impression on me as a city kid from Boston. From the moment I arrived, the warmth of the community was clear: professors were approachable and current students went out of their way to help me navigate campus and chat with me on the pine-lined quad. Even in such unfamiliar spaces, I felt a sense of belonging and familiarity. It was a gut feeling, and it definitely worked out!”
Christina, Gordon College
“I had attended public school my entire life, so for college I wanted to attend a Christian school. My dad attended Gordon College, so I researched schools in the same consortium. I applied to a few schools, and I fell in love with Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. Even though I was accepted to Westmont, Gordon College offered me more scholarships. Having visited Gordon’s beautiful campus multiple times while growing up and knowing how impactful it was for my dad’s life, I decided to move forward with Gordon. The school had academic programs I was interested in, study abroad opportunities, and proximity to the ocean and the city. I absolutely loved my experience at Gordon. My time there not only helped me in my career path, but it also gave me lifelong friendships.”
Craig, Northeastern University
“I attended Northeastern University. It came down to NU and a few schools before I ultimately made my decision. I decided that I would rather attend college in an urban city setting (being close to Fenway Park didn’t hurt either…). Two other major deciding factors for Northeastern were the school’s great co-operative education program and, of course, the amount of financial aid I received.”
Greg, University of Massachusetts Boston
“I started at a community college because I was paying my own way. After I got my associate degree, I transferred to UMass Boston, as that was the cheapest option for me. I actually found it easy to matriculate from a community college. I had good professors that wrote me letters of recommendation. I definitely think there can still be stigma around students who explore community college, which is a shame, because it can be a great resource.”
James, Northeastern University
“Cost was the biggest factor for me, along with the reputation of the program I wanted to enroll in.”
Jennifer Bento-Pinyoun, Keene State
“My college decision process was mostly shaped by what my family could afford. Living in New Hampshire, I applied to the three public colleges—Keene State College, Plymouth State University, and University of New Hampshire—because they were practical, affordable options. I was accepted to Keene State and Plymouth State, and I chose to attend Keene State. I don’t recall completing the FAFSA, but I was fortunate that my family could pay for college without loans. I worked during the summers and gave my earnings to my parents to help with tuition, and I worked while in school to cover my own expenses. Starting as undeclared, I took time to explore options before declaring a major in Educational Psychology during my junior year, and then earned my Bachelor of Arts. Looking back, my path was practical and gradual, shaped by affordability, hard work, and a willingness to figure things out over time.”
Jonathan, Emerson College
“Emerson had a great film program, and I really wanted to be in a city where there were other things to do outside the school. I also didn’t want to be that far away from home.”
Julie, University of Massachusetts Amherst
“I chose UMass Amherst because I got into the business school and because I liked the size. I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do after graduation but knew that I would have many opportunities. I loved living in the five-college area, and I still love it every time I visit!”
Kelly, Bryant University
“I knew I wanted to do accounting, and Bryant had a great accounting program. It was a small institution near my home, so I had always thought I might want to go there.”
Lauren, Emmanuel College
“I transferred to my school halfway through my freshmen year. The school I had originally attended ended up not being a fit for me—it was huge and in the middle of nowhere. I chose to transfer to Emmanuel because it was small and located in the city. It was much more my style, and I ended up loving it there.”
Lisa, Framingham State University
“When applying to college, my parents didn’t disclose with me any barriers to where I might or might not be able to attend due to cost, so I applied to a few private colleges across Massachusetts and Rhode Island that appealed to me based on size, classes, and campus offerings, and to two state colleges as “safety schools.” When acceptance letters and financial aid offers began to roll in, my parents gave me the choice to either attend a more expensive option and be faced with a lot of debt, or attend one of the state colleges where I’d still need to take some loans, but in a much lesser capacity. I decided to attend Worcester State because I had a friend who was also attending, with the hope of taking advantage of the Worcester Consortium, where I could attend classes at some of the other schools in the city. However, after a year at WSC, I decided the campus wasn’t for me. I decided that I wanted to try to pursue radiology. I moved home and transferred to a community college for a year to complete prerequisites to try and get into a very niche program that at the time wasn’t widely offered. Unfortunately, at the time, that program was very selective and accepted only nine people each year strictly on a lottery basis—and I was impatient and didn’t want to wait. I made a hard and fast decision to go to URI because my best friend went there, and it was an easy transfer from the CC and Worcester State (I wouldn’t lose any credits and would be on track to graduate in four years). Cost was not a factor for me at this point—I just wanted to have a better college experience and didn’t want to graduate too far behind my peers. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to get immersed into the university culture because I didn’t live there full time—I just slept on my friend’s floor at the house she rented. My classes were bigger than I would have liked, and I didn’t feel like I was getting a “better” education than anywhere else, so I decided that after a semester I didn’t want to spend two more years paying the tuition. I met with someone at Framingham State, and I was able to build a plan to graduate with the Corporate Communications major only one semester behind—it met my financial needs, my cultural needs, and I got a great final few semesters of a college experience.”
Lori, University of Vermont
“UVM was my fifth-choice school. I was rejected from my top two choices, my third choice didn’t have housing for me, and my fourth choice was in a very urban setting where, when on tour, my father said, “My little girl isn’t going somewhere where they have to focus on the blue emergency call boxes.” So common today and most parents would find that comforting; back in the day, not so much. UVM ended up being an incredible four years, where I got a great education in and out of the classroom.”
Marissa, Boston University
“I was quiet and shy in high school, and everyone told me I should go to a small liberal arts college. I had no idea what I wanted to study or where I wanted to go, and the stakes of the decision felt enormous. After maybe a dozen campus visits, I ended up applying to four schools—one small liberal arts college, two large urban institutions, and one large state school. My high school principal had quietly nominated me for an academic scholarship at Boston University, and I was extremely fortunate to receive it. There’s no way my family could have afforded BU otherwise. Suddenly the decision was incredibly simple, and it ended up being a perfect environment for me. The big-city college experience helped me break out of my shell. I loved the energy and variety that both the university and the city had to offer—academically, socially, and personally.”
Meg, Denison University
“I wanted to go to a small, liberal arts college. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do, so I thought this would let me explore my options. I also wanted a school where I could play field hockey.”
Meredith, University of Virginia
“I grew up in Virginia and my mom told us we could only apply to public schools in our home state. I decided on UVA because it seemed like a fit academically, had good sports teams, was a big enough size, and had a pretty campus.”
Penny, Clark University
“As a first-generation student, getting the opportunity to go to college was step one, let alone being able to decide among great schools. My parents wanted me to stay near home since they had never gone to college and experienced what it would be like. I attended Clark University in Worcester and it was the best decision for me to go there. The population was diverse, the academics were strong, and I was challenged in many ways. Going to college was a privilege for me and an honor for my family.”
Rob, Bentley University
“I wasn’t entirely sure what I wanted to do after high school, but I thought studying business would be able to provide me with a stable job. Bentley had a good business program and they offered me the most money, so I chose it.”
Shari, University of Massachusetts Amherst
“The only school I applied to was UMass Amherst, and I was accepted. The school had my intended major (journalism at the time). I also liked that it was like a city in the country, it was far enough away that I could live on campus but close enough to go home easily, and my parents agreed on the school.”
Shaun, Bridgewater State University
“My mom wouldn’t let me go to Emerson, my dream school, because we couldn’t afford it. So I picked Bridgewater as that was the one we could afford.”
Want to learn more about Shaun’s experience? Listen to our podcast episode, How to Say “No” to Your Child’s First Choice College, or read his article, What to Do If You Can’t Afford Your Dream School.
Stephanie, Bridgewater State University
“As a first-generation college student, the youngest of eight and the first in my family to graduate from college, I was pretty much on my own figuring out my college path. I always knew I would go to college but had no guidance on how to get there so I started out at Mount Wachusett Community College for my first year. It was a great way to get some credits under my belt before transferring to Westfield State. Eventually I transferred again and graduated with a BS in Speech Communications from Bridgewater State. With no family support to pay for college, the public college system in MA was the only option I could afford and a great way to get an excellent education.”
Steve, Brandeis University
“My goal was to find a school that allowed me to continue my athletic career and also provided a variety of options academically. Brandeis had reached out to me regarding my interest in attending and the fit seemed right as it fulfilled both my academic and athletic goals.”
Zarah, Northeastern University
“I was drawn to Northeastern University because of their co-op program. However, my parents didn’t have the money to send me there. So I attended SUNY while working and saving money, and then transferred to Northeastern later on. My advice to families would be to consider the cost and be realistic about what you can afford. My parents did not communicate with me about what our family’s financial situation was, and it would have been smoother if they had just been up front about it.”
