My college connections show up in lots of places on the Collegewise timeline.

For the first ten years of our business, the CPA who kept our books balanced and our taxes in line was my college buddy that I met when we both got part-time jobs teaching SAT classes together.

Our liability, health and dental insurance?  They were all selected and managed by the same friend I’d met when we were 18 and placed in a freshman dorm room together. 

After I wrote the first draft of If the U Fits, I hired a professional editor to help me decide how to best turn my initial ramblings into something people would want to read.  That editor used to sit beside me in our classes when we were English majors together in college.

And whenever I needed to negotiate a contract (i.e., our rental lease, our services agreement with a high school, and the sale of my business to The Princeton Review), I had a good lawyer in my corner—a college fraternity brother and a friend I’d kept in touch with for 20 years. 

I mention this because all of these friends have made something of ourselves, yet none of us had it all figured out at age 18.  We went to a college that felt right, worked reasonably hard, had a lot of fun, and made the most of our opportunities.  That’s the formula. 

If you’re a senior trying to pick your colleges, don't worry if you’re uncertain.  That’s normal. The best things that will happen to you both during and after college can’t be predicted today.  So embrace the uncertainty. 

Sure, take a hard look at your schools of choice.  Get advice from people you trust.  Maybe visit the schools one more time just to make sure. 

But when the time comes to make your choice, listen to your gut and have enough confidence in yourself that your work ethic and character will take it from there.