College: How to Decide

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5. What does the business community say about the school?

From the business school's Web site, you should be able to see whether it has many speakers and programs from the business community. Use that information, and anything you can garner from a Google search, to get a feel for the type of relationship the school has with businesses. If you know anyone in the business community near the school, ask them about their experiences and the school's reputation with their colleagues and counterparts at other companies.

6. What is the culture like?

A big part of choosing the right school—and later the right job—is finding the right fit. You need a school with a student body to which you can relate. If you visited campus, consider what you observed about the students. Were they friendly and polite or arrogant and patronizing? Did they seem to help one another or stab each other in the back?

If you didn't head to campus, consider College Prowler's report cards, which give you some insight on each university in general and the business school specifically. You can also find accepted applicants and a few current students chatting at the BusinessWeek.com Undergraduate Forum.

7. How much is this going to cost me and/or my parents, and what is the return on investment going to be?

Consider the loans, scholarships, and grants you received from each program. Then calculate how much you'll actually be spending, how much you'll owe, and what kind of return on investment you'll experience. To get an idea of the return on investment, think about the average starting salaries of graduates and how long it will take you to earn back the money spent on your college education.

8. What kind of network will I have when I graduate?

Find as much information on the alumni network as you can. You want to know if alumni from each program have a history of helping one another in professional circles. Strong alumni networks with many active participants and activities are a good indication that there is a history of alumni helping one another. You can get more information by visiting the Web site for alumni of that particular school, reading periodicals put out by alumni, which are often available online, and counting the number of regional alumni groups.

9. Where will I be happy?

While you should take practical information into consideration, you should also think about your own personality and which school's environment is most conducive to your happiness. If you're close to your sister and she goes to school X and you'd be happier if you were near her, then that's something to factor into your decision. If you love finance and consider yourself a math geek, then a school that has an active math club and strong finance program might be right for you.

10. What does my gut say?

Sometimes your body knows the right decision for you before your mind does. At least consider your gut's opinion as you weigh these other factors and make your final decision.

Di Meglio is a reporter for BusinessWeek.com in Fort Lee, N.J.