As the school year comes to an end, Village School seniors are making their college decisions. There are some popular decisions: three students will be attending Hofstra and three will be attending SUNY Oneonta. The main overarching theme though, is that students chose schools based on pricetag and location.

Taylor, Fen, and Ethan all chose schools close by because the ability to visit home when needed was a priority. On the other hand, Arielyn, Sam Dolgin, Max Fineman, and Matt Forte all chose schools farther away, because they want to experience new things.

Most students changed their top choices throughout the course of the semester. Originally, Ethan was dead set on Syracuse, but chose LIU Post because he “liked their hands-on learning style” and because they gave him a full scholarship. Arielyn had SUNY New Paltz marked as her top choice for most of the year, but when she was not accepted, she decided on UAlbany. Sam Dolgin had even gone so far as checking out the dorms at Quinnipiac, but then decided on Oneonta because of their music program.

The reason that 40% of all students do not end up attending their top choice is a financial one. A new report by Cappex.com shows that in their freshman year of high school, students usually list prestigious, Ivy-Legue institutions as their top choices, but as they get older, their lists include schools cheaper and closer to home.

According to the report, only 3% of students who switch their top schools do it for the reputation of the schools. This statistic rings true for our seniors as both Emma and Ethan were accepted to SUNY – Binghamton, but chose SUNY – ESF and LIU Post instead. This writer chose Hofstra University over the higher ranked SUNY Geneseo, preferring Hofstra’s program in film; the school also close by.

Our seniors’ college decisions are valuable lessons to the underclassmen: don’t get wrapped up in a school’s reputation, what makes you happy is important, and cost and convenience are major factors in making a decision.