For most high school seniors, the springtime of the school year means receiving college admission decisions in late March and deciding where to attend college for the next four years of their lives. Regardless of the outcome of the college admission process, this time can be stressful for seniors. Some might feel overwhelmed during the months of March and April if they have been accepted to several of their top choice universities. Not surprisingly, students in this position will have trouble knowing which of these colleges is the best fit for them.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a college.

When deciding whether or not a college is a good fit for you, think about your priorities and rank them. After you have narrowed down your college list to a few institutions among which you must decide, research the aspects of a college you find most important and list the pros and cons for each of those institutions.

For example, you might rank college life, school size and athletic programs as qualities of greatest importance to you and then decide which colleges excel particularly in those areas.

After you have thought more deeply about each of these colleges, examine the long-term goals you have set for yourself after you graduate from college. Although it might seem a little early in the game to know exactly what career you see yourself pursuing before the four years of college have even begun, get an idea of your endgame. If possible, pinpoint a reasonable job you would have in the future and research the departments you would want to study in.

Then, examine which school is best known for your prospective major and how actively engaged the faculty members are in that field. Building a solid relationship with helpful professors will certainly benefit you when seeking out valuable research opportunities at the school.

One other factor that some admitted students will find important to examine is the cost of the colleges. Make sure that you accurately compare financial aid packages received at your top choices so that you can definitely afford an education there.

And finally, arguably the most important and vital step in deciding on a college is to determine whether or not you can see yourself attending the school by actually visiting the campus.

Most colleges and universities will invite students to attend an Admitted Student Day where they will have the opportunity to meet with faculty members and current students to discuss academic life at the college. Be sure to take advantage of this visit and get a feel for what life on campus would be like, whether it means staying overnight on campus with a current student or sitting in on classes.

“I got into a few of my top choice schools and I definitely had trouble deciding,” said senior Jadie Kerns-Funk. “The deciding factor, though, was the campus visit. After visiting, I fell in love with the University of Puget Sound.”

Also, it’s important to be curious about the school. Before you visit campus, come prepared with 10 to 15 thorough questions to ask faculty members or students—don’t leave with any questions unanswered!