Pete Hornberger: You know, you actually did a good job on this.

Liz Lemon: Why do you sound so surprised? I love America. Just because I think gay dudes should be allowed to adopt kids and we should all have hybrid cars doesn't mean I don't love America.

- 30 Rock -

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Part II: Choosing the right school

Choosing the right school is almost as important as choosing the right program. A school's atmosphere, environment, social settings, and locations play a great part in your mental and physical health and ultimately your success.

First of all, identify all the schools that you'd even be remotely interested in that offer the program that you want to be in. If you're interested in going beyond a Bachelor's education, you might also want to research schools that offer a follow up Masters/PhD program. A lot of people often think that all schools are the same, but that's not always the case, certain schools offer different "concentrations" or "focus." Try to limit your choices to the top 3, but it's always nice to have backups, look into at least 5, if you have the resources to do so.

Next, do some campus hunting. Visit the campus and look at the diversity, safety, parking spaces, and the surroundings. Look how easy (or hard) it is to get on campus. On-campus housing is more convenient but usually more pricy. Off-campus housing is often cheaper but you have to figure out transportation, utilities, etc. It's a give and take. If your prospective campus is out of state, it is almost imperative that you visit it if you have no idea at all about the area, also keep in mind that a college campus in the summer will not have the same weather in the winter, contrary to popular belief of Californians, there actually ARE four seasons... at least in other states.

Then, look into the "offers" of schools. Some schools offer free rides, scholarships, or stipends. If you have a special ability, disability, skill, or depending on your gender, age, sexual orientation, ethnicity, schools might offer you different advantages. Schools typically want a more diverse campus, diversity means different input, more points of view, and this tends to attract more students. Don't be afraid to exploit your specialness.

Also, as a last note to your uber extroverted people, try to do additional research into the surrounding areas, night life, shopping areas, restaurants are all also part of a good education. Being a party animal stuck in the boondocks where the nearest club is five hours away will not be conducive to a happy college life. Find out all the campus clubs and organizations on campus as those will also act to enrich your college experience. And even though you might be stuck on a mountainside for a school in Antartica, even there (I'll say this about college students' resilience) you will ALWAYS find a way to have fun.

And as usual, don't forget to see your college counselor for additional information.