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Guide/07 After Submitting

Choosing a College

How to make the final decision — money first, then fit, with a healthy balance between data and gut feeling.

Chapter 23 of 242 min readUpdated September 23, 2026 Preview

Getting into a prestigious college feels amazing — nobody should pretend otherwise. But prestige can't be the only thing guiding a four-year decision.

This chapter walks through how to decide: start with the real cost, use visits to answer one specific question, and treat your gut as an input — not the final word.

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What’s in this chapter

  1. 1Step 1: Start with the money
  2. 2Step 2: Visit, if you can
  3. 3Step 3: Balance gut and data
  4. 4Step 4: Decide