Fresh out of a high school is a bittersweet place to be. You don’t know what you want to do, or where you want to go, or you should take a year off. And probably most devastating, you and your friends are attending different universities.

But what university is the best one for you? First and foremost, you should speak to your guidance counselor before leaving high school to figure out the best path for you. Figure out with them where your strong points were in school, your favourite subjects, and if that sparked any interest in a particular field. If you want to take a year off to earn some money or to travel, then do that too. And don’t worry if you don’t wind up doing what you thought you would. A professor once told me that about 50% of university and college students change their major. I was convinced that I was going to be a psychology major and I took one week of classes in York before I knew I hated it.

Once you have a general idea of what program you want to join, start hunting universities. Take a look at the courses they offer and compare them to that of other universities to see who has the best course timetable for you. Make sure to attend the campus tours whenever you can because you want to get a feel for the atmosphere. You’ll feel right at home in the school you’re supposed to be in, trust me. If you’re looking at something out of the city or even the country, then be sure to pay attention to the costs of living as an international student on top of residence fees and classes.

Should you be a student who requires any accommodations, be sure to look into those as well. See which school will accommodate you best. See what clubs or sports teams they have there. Never forget that you’re going to be spending very crucial years of your life here and you want to make the most of it.

It’s important to note that the first university you choose may not be the one that you stick with. Some people are right at home with their first choice and others want to make a move after a couple years or even seven days. There’s no shame in this. If you feel like you belong somewhere else then it’s better to know early then to pay tuition to an institution you never felt a part of to begin with.

Students often face the crisis of being accepted into more than one school. I know that I was given a scholarship to a school that I didn’t want to go to, but free money sounded really good as a broke high school student. Remember to always go with your instinct. If something doesn’t feel right, be sure to keep looking for the best university for you.