I remember my first glimpse of the Pittsburgh skyline in 1993, after our car nosed out of the Squirrel Hill Tunnel on I-376, that the University of Pittsburgh was going to be my school of choice. After all, I was a teenager raised in farm country of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (No, not Amish, but my high school name was Garden Spot), so I wanted the fast-paced city and concrete beyond the corn fields and manure.

Fast-forward to this summer, when my eldest son, a high school senior, is now about to embark on his own college hunting tour—with me in tow, of course. I think the post-high school graduation outlook has shifted from the 1990s. Today, with the insane surge of tuition costs, the traditional four-year university isn’t necessarily the answer for everyone. There are also two-year technical colleges, community colleges, virtual college, gap year options, or just jumping right into the job force after high school by maybe training on the job and working your way up the corporate ladder from there.

Then, there are the many factors of secondary education to consider, with the ultimate goal being my son experiencing the same epiphany I did 30 years ago—unless he says his happy place is in Alaska.

Here is my game plan to discuss, check into, checklist, and elaborate on to narrow down his path. Maybe it can help other parents of seniors, too:
First of all, do you want to go to college? I’m a big proponent of higher education, but, like I said before, there are oodles of options, so I don’t want him to feel like it’s just expected because of society or all of his friends are.

Create a wish list of colleges. If he says yes… I researched that it’s best to start early, which means not waiting until October or November of his senior year. And there are  more than 2,500 four-year colleges in the United States, so it can be overwhelming. It’s recommended to include about seven: a mix of big medium-sized, and small schools, as well as city, more suburban, and rural schools. Think of two long-shot schools you’re intrigued by, two targets that you really think are a good fit, two safety net schools, and maybe one more just because.

What is our budget, for real? The average annual cost of tuition for public, four-year colleges was just over $10,000 for 2021-2022 and $27,560 for out-of-state colleges. On top of that, the average annual room and board is an additional $11,950. That is why the average undergrad took out $6,470 of subsidized and unsubsidized student loans. We need to be real and make sure college costs are manageable. It is advised to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) on or after October 1.

Schedule tours of schools on your list. Connect with your top schools and actually schedule an official tour with admissions—don’t just drive around campus. Most tours are guided by actual students enrolled there, so you can ask them more detailed questions about the school’s social scene, clubs and activities, the food, and more.
   
Once this leg of the journey has been achieved—and I’m sure it will be a stressless and peaceful process—the next step will be putting together a killer application and essay (I will proofread and edit), making sure we take the second SAT his senior year.

Good luck and prayers to all of my fellow Class of 2025 parents through this emotional time!