Read their bio, weigh the pros and cons, find if you have something in common, make a choice. Sounds like Blind Dating right? It is actually searching for a college.

A lot goes in to choosing a college besides what places accepted you. Location, majors offered, cost are all reasons one may choose a certain school.

While all of these are important, one important aspect with choosing the right school for you is giving yourself enough time to make your choice. Some students start this search in 10th grade, but some can wait as long to start looking in 12th grade.

Once you start the search you have to sit down and ask yourself what you’re looking for in a school. Start by asking yourself things like east coast or west coast? Big school or small school? Public or private school?

After coming up with a basic list of what you want, start doing research to find schools that match what you want. This is where the college search and blind dating are similar. You look at one college see what it has to offer. If it does not meet your requirements move on to the next one. If you like what it has and you want the same things, then you have a match.

Once you find a match you have to get contact info and put together a list of questions you may have regarding the schools. Generally with most websites there will be a “Contact Us” button in which you can draft an email letting them know how excited and hopeful you are for the future and some questions you may have before fully committing.

After finding out everything there is to know and you think you’re ready to commit, you need to introduce them to your parents so they can verify you’re making a good choice.

It is time for the big reveal, your first day together. You set up a date that works out best for both of you and you wear your nicest looking outfit to make sure you make a good impression.

Now after seeing them in person, seeing how they look day and night, it is time to determine if you can see yourself being there.

This may be a tough thing to imagine, however you can tell if the day felt right, you love what they have to offer, and you can’t wait to go back again.

Warning! You may find this in multiple schools and that is okay. Just understand you will have to a choose at some point but as long as you started your search early you have plenty of time.

Before you know it, you’ve been thinking about this school for months and they’re been asking for you to make it official. You may have multiple schools asking, but go for the one that stands out the most to you. Weigh the pros and cons for all that you’re considering and in the end just go with your gut.

Essentially that is what blind dating is too. Consider all your options, research, follow up, decide.

Good luck in the future with all of your blind dating experiences. Just wait until you have to find a roommate and declare a major!